, Columnist
China Has 350 Warships. The US Has 290. That's a Problem.
As Beijing’s naval power grows, America needs to bring together a coalition of allies in the South China Sea.
Drenched.
Photographer: Jam Sta Rosa/AFP/Getty Images
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There are plenty of disagreements between Beijing and Washington — from Taiwan to human rights to aiding Russia — but the most immediately dangerous is China’s ownership claim of essentially the entire South China Sea.
On his recent trip to China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken did well in conveying America’s desire keep the bilateral relationship on a relatively stable course. Meeting with President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, he discussed zones of cooperation including curbing fentanyl and expanding military-to-military communications.