Vietnam, Philippines fortify South China Sea bases – Asia Times

The Joe Biden administration s increasingly tough stance against China, including multiple naval deployments to the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait in recent weeks, has emboldened smaller regional powers to stand up to the Asian powerhouse. 

China s two main rivals in the South China Sea, the Philippines and Vietnam, have vowed to fortify their positions in the disputed waters, including through expanded naval patrols as well as tighter security cooperation with the United States and like-minded powers. 

via asiatimes.com

Normally, I would not cheer this sort of thing. An anti-imperialist I am. But when you have a nasty, virus-exporting, social credit score implementing, gul dern communist empire on the march, what are you supposed to do?