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Infrastructure development in South China Sea

Honest History has followed intermittently developments in the South China Sea, partly because of their potential to escalate but also because of the echoes they evoke of long-standing Australian attitudes to Asia and long-standing Australian concerns to ensure we benefit from protective alliances. Australia has form on these issues.

This week ABC News has interesting before and after photographs of reefs in the South China Sea, following construction efforts by China. They come from an American report. These works are among issues likely to be discussed this week by Presidents Obama and Xi. Kevin Rudd has his own list and is optimistic.

Our earlier Spratlyswatch material is here and here. Australian service personnel have been working in and with American units in the region: here; here. Prime Minister Turnbull this week said China was ‘pushing the envelope’ in the region. Meanwhile, China is reducing its military personnel by 300 000.

23 September 2015 (updated 24 September)