Vietnam has revved up South China Sea land reclamation efforts this year, beginning construction on eight previously untouched Spratly Islands features.
The U.S. and the Philippines announce a joint task force to deter what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calls Beijing’s “coercion” in the South China Sea.
The bills passed as part of the deal that ended the longest U.S. government shutdown in history include billions of dollars for the Air Force and Navy.