US-China tension: Pentagon’s 2021 maritime strategy has Beijing’s South China Sea activities in its sights

HONG KONG, Dec 19 (SCMP): The US military warned it would be “more assertive” against Beijing, saying China was the only rival presenting a long-term challenge to the United States.

In a document setting objectives for the United States Navy, Marines and Coast Guard for 2021, the Pentagon said China was adopting an expansionist approach in the South China Sea and seeking to establish regional hegemony through programmes such as the Belt and Road Initiative.