Distracted US leaves window of opportunity for Beijing to expand power in South China Sea
Trump administration’s focus on other parts of the world could be handing Chinese authorities a long-term advantage
As Kim Jong-un’s antics in North Korea capture global attention, China is quietly moving to bolster its grip on disputed territory in the South China Sea.
Last month, a Philippine lawmaker released photos he said showed Chinese fishing, coastguard and navy vessels surrounding a Philippine-occupied isle in the Spratly island chain, preventing planned repairs to a runway.
Vietnam in July halted drilling in an area leased to Spain’s Repsol SA, amid reports it did so under Chinese duress.
The incidents suggest China is taking advantage of a perceived vacuum left by the United States in Southeast Asia as Donald Trump’s administration focused on Chinese trade tensions and North Korea’s missile and nuclear tests.
While the US is still conducting what it calls “freedom of navigation” naval operations in the South China Sea, testing China’s claims to exclusive access – it plans to conduct two to three such manoeuvres in the next few months, according to The Wall Street Journal – and a rear admiral publicly criticising Beijing for its behaviour, the intensity of its actions and statements on the waters has faded since Trump took office.
Doubts over the future of US commitment could make some Southeast Asian states reluctant to publicly challenge China on their own.
