Most people have never heard of the Sabina Shoal, but it’s become the latest global testing ground for confrontation with China. Will it trigger broader conflict?
An uninhabited, largely submerged stretch of reef within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone has become a dangerous new testing ground for China asserting its control of the South China Sea.
It’s also another indirect but provocative way for China to challenge the strength of the US security relationship with the Philippines while denying any responsibility for its own aggressive tactics and threats to regional stability.
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Jennifer Hewett is the national affairs columnist. She writes a daily column on politics, business and the economy. Connect with Jennifer on Twitter. Email Jennifer at jennifer.hewett@afr.com
