The discovery of a new radar system on China’s Triton Island military base shows that Beijing is rapidly developing its intelligence capacities in contested waters, write John Pollock and Damien Symon.
The World Today
Published 17 October 2024
Updated 22 October 2025 — 4 minute READ
Image — China is believed to be upgrading its military base on Triton to strengthen control over nearby oil and gas reserves and expand its broader surveillance network across the South China Sea. All photographic images on this page ©2024 Maxar Technologies.
New satellite images reveal how the Chinese military is dramatically expanding its capabilities on Triton Island, which looks set to become a one of Beijing’s key signal intelligence bases in the South China Sea.
Once completed, the radar system would significantly increase China’s signals intercept and electronic warfare capabilities across the disputed Paracel Islands archipelago and add to a wider surveillance network spanning much of the South China Sea.
