Burma is newly enmeshed in Asia’s Game of Thrones, a development far more important than the topics Western media typically choose to focus on.

China placed artillery on one of its new artificial islands. Given the U.S. shift to a more forward-leaning stance in the region, that’s a provocative move at a tense moment.

The pushback against China’s territorial aggression is as strong as it’s ever been, but China isn’t showing any signs that it’s going to back down. Quite the opposite, in fact.

The U.S.-backed anti-China coalition is looking more and more serious as Japan is joins annual Australia-U.S. military drills and inks new defense deals with Malaysia.

But will it matter who gets there first? The United States, decades ahead in experience and expertise, will officially commit to a decade-long defense partnership with India in June.

Japan and the Philippines are holding their first naval drills in the South China Sea. The drills won’t provoke China much in themselves, but they suggest a warming relationship that will make territorial expansion in the region less tenable for Beijing.

The Japanese and Filipino coast guards are holding anti-piracy drills in Manila Bay. But given China’s recent aggressive moves, it’s hard to see this show of cooperation as only about pirates.

The Philippines is playing an out-sized role in recent developments in Asian geopolitics that will strengthen the opposition to China’s increasing territorial aggression.

Chinese water cannon attacks on Philippine boats show that it hasn’t given up the stick, even if it is throwing a lot more carrots around Asia these days.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is coming to Washington. We should listen carefully to what he says.