Beijing’s systematic consolidation of its military in the South China Sea threatens Southeast Asian sovereignty and could force Washington to commit more resources to counter the aggression, experts warn.
The People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command announced on its official WeChat account on Sept. 2 that its naval and air units conducted readiness patrols around Scarborough Shoal—which Beijing calls Huangyan Dao—in the South China Sea.
The Scarborough Shoal, also known in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc, is a disputed feature claimed by Beijing, Manila, and Taipei.
However, a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has voided the Chinese regime’s claim to the area….