“Amidst U.S. and Australian concerns of Chinese military expansion in the South China Sea, officials with China’s foreign ministry are claiming military facilities on a series of artificial islands are ‘for defense purposes only’ in reaction to ‘high-profile display[s] of military strength and frequent and large-scale military drills by certain countries and their allies in the South China Sea,’ according to a Wednesday press briefing.”

Source: China: Military Facilities on South China Sea Artificial Islands are ‘For Defense Purposes Only’ – USNI News