Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Why does Scarborough Shoal matter to China’s strategy in the South China Sea? It’s the missing corner of the “iron triangle”, linking the shoal to the Paracel and Spratly islands. China has not built a base there to avoid provoking America. But recent skirmishes with the Philippines suggest that Xi Jinping wants to complete the triangle. Why is China acting now?

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