How do you suggest China to defend these island??
China is on the rise, but her navy is still small. Compare to US Navy, it's more or less 1/8 or 1/7 of the size of the Current Stucture USN. And if China was to spread further out and defend these island equally would most likely end in diaster for the Chinese Navy.
US on the other hand, do not need to attack all Chinese island simulatanously, they only need to do it one by one like they did in WW2. And in term of Naval Strength, Japan was at least on par or even supercede USN in the begining of the war, and yet US can capture all their Island all the way to Okinawa. So do tell me, how do you suggest Chinese Navy, which is not even half strength of the current USN. Can defend those island effctively?
Or are you one of those people thinking a few missile here and there can defeat or at least inflict Heavy Casualty to the USN without Chinese Navy even moving a finger? IF you are, then I got my answer.