The first bilateral military exercises between India and Australia are set to begin today, as the two countries work to strengthen defense ties.

Worried about China’s rise, Malaysia is reportedly holding secret talks about letting the U.S. fly spy missions out of its airfields, though it hasn’t made a final agreement.

As Beijing’s moves to secure territory in Asia’s coastal waters get more frequent and more menacing, the coalition of countries bent on thwarting Chinese expansionism is solidifying.

Tokyo is trying to give surveillance planes to Manila. Since Philippine information on the South China Sea is coming from fishermen right now, that would be a big upgrade.

China’s antagonistic policies are just making life more difficult for Beijing, as threatened neighbors collude.

China says it’s done building islands in the Spratlys. But that’s not the end of the fight, it’s the beginning of the next step in China’s plan to secure effective control over most of the South China Sea.

Over a hundred Chinese ships took part in the exercises, which saw missiles flying over the hotly disputed waters.

This weekend’s summit in Tokyo could see big announcements of trade expansion into China’s back yard.

The chief of the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces said China’s aggressive behavior is prompting Tokyo to consider partnering up with the United States to jointly patrol the contested waters.

An effective U.S. China policy is best built on a thorough assessment of the context in which Sino-American relations exist and operate.