China wants to get closer to Australia, page-83

in the shorter term, these artificial islands are China's answer to Aircraft Carriers and
this is why they are establishing air bases on them now.

IMO, the USA should try a few oil/gas drilling rigs within 250 ms of say 2 of these artificial islandds
and then see how do the Chinese react.

This, imo, would be more effective and less militarily aggressive than sailing war ships past them.
It would certainly test out your theory.