China appears to have emerged victorious in its initial bid to control part of the South China Sea. According to senior Australian sources, the country has finished construction of an archipelago of artificial islands. In response, Japan is allocating its largest defence budget ever to counter China’s reach.
China has been advancing into the South China Sea without showing any signs of slowing down. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, it is most likely that the nation will win the next round of South China Sea bout as the United States remain indecisive about the matter. Its allies along with Australia are also still struggling to follow through with previous promises challenging illegal Chinese claims on “freedom of navigation” exercises.