France, Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand—following Washington’s lead—have each staged war games or concluded alliances with Manila targeting China.
After reports emerged in January that Chinese warships tracked a Canadian navy vessel passing through the disputed South China Sea, Chinese social media users began sharing a picture they falsely claimed shows the incident.
Whatever happens in the near term, it is obvious that there is a serious arms race occurring for dominance in the South China Sea.
China's recent live-fire naval drills in the Tasman Sea off southeastern Australia highlighted continued tensions between the major Indo-Pacific powers, particularly in the Sea and the Taiwan Strait.