There is no clutching at straws on my part. But, for the sake of argument, let's follow your line of reasoning: it not being fully artificial, and under de facto Chinese control, China has every right to defend Woody Island. Just not any of those new artificials islands now being made in the Paracels. So, it could have just as well sent MANPADS (which of course it didn't, which is of course telling of intent)
This is so silly, he (nor anybody else here) took anything. I seriously doubt an posters here are from the colonial period. Dynamic power balance and what not, best keep the treaties 'you signed'.