US Conducts Survey of Wharf in South Pacific Suspected as Part of Chinese Military Base

A flare sends smoke from the sea to tag the position of a mine during an annual Taiwan Navy drill off Tsoying naval base in Kaohsiung on Jan. 31, 2018. MANDY CHENG/AFP/Getty Images

The United States has conducted a survey of a Chinese-funded wharf in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, the U.S. Marine Corps said on April 14.

The wharf had been the subject of a recent report that China is planning to establish a permanent military base on Vanuatu.