Beijing could react to the Pentagon's moves by taking more aggressive actions Over the last week in Asia, Defence Secretary Ash Carter has visited 2 aircraft carriers, revealed new military agreements with India and the Philippines, and generally signalled that the Obama administration has decided to lean more heavily on military power to counter China’s territorial ambitions in the region. But the newly muscular approach on display during Carter’s tour represents a gamble. While it sends a message that the United States will work with its allies to challenge Beijing’s expanding presence in the disputed South China Sea, it also plays into fears within the Chinese leadership...
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