US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper speaks next to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a joint news conference with their Australia counterparts in Sydney, Australia on Aug 4, 2019.
China’s increasing assertiveness, especially in the energy-rich South China Sea, has raised concerns within the region and the United States is challenging Chinese maritime hegemony and seeking stronger ties with nations pushing back against Beijing. China has unnerved the region and angered the United States by installing military equipment and other facilities on artificial islands it has made in the disputed South China Sea.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday slapped 10% tariffs on US$300 billion in Chinese imports, stunning financial markets and ending a month-long trade war truce. China vowed on Friday to fight back.