China on the rise

AS 2016 draws to a close, China's economic, political and military posture is higher than ever. It has challenged the United States in the South China Sea by seizing an unmanned underwater vehicle before the US navy could retrieve it, then returned it a few days later with a warning to Washington not to conduct close-in reconnaissance activities near Chinese territory.

The US says that the seizure was illegal since the incident occurred in international waters. China seems to concede that point, saying only that it occurred in "waters facing China". So China increasingly does what it wants without even the least cover of legality.

Singapore, too, is being given a dose of Chinese medicine. Its armoured vehicles were seized in Hong Kong in November while being transshipped back home, after military training exercises in Taiwan. The island nation has annoyed China by siding with the US on issues such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the South China Sea.