If the PRC starts a war than yeah, that is what has to happen.

The purpose of this particular move is to make the prospect of war less desirable to the PRC. Also, in the unfortunate event of a war, having more bases, with more repair facilities, etc. only serves to help win.

As it is, the PRC has been doing a pretty good job of showing its neighbors that it is back up to its same old tricks from centuries past. It always was the big bad bully on the block. For a hundred years not so much and Xi is keen to let the world know that the Middle Kingdom (compete with the idea that all of the earth is its rightful domain) is back.