The Philippine government is still verifying reports that China has quietly deployed missile systems in the Spratly Islands. But Beijing has already confirmed this. CNBC earlier reported that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles on three Manila-claimed reefs in the area—Fiery Cross Reef, Mischief Reef and Subi Reef. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the deployment of defense facilities in its “big three” islands was meant to safeguard China’s sovereignty and security. The United States, on the other hand, warned China of possible consequences of its militarization in the South China Sea.