| Summary/Abstract |
China is the largest country in the region in terms of economic strength, military and land area, Since 2013, China has begun trying to alter the status quo in its neighbourhood, views the new US administrations policies as intended to retard its ambitions. While China's responses have been measured and deliberate, it has made clear it will not yield sovereignty over the South China sea. China has built airstrips and more recently, missile emplacements on the islands in the South China Sea, moved missiles to Hainan and in late February 2017, announced that it is constructing environment monitoring stations on the Scarborough Reef.
|