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Flashpoint: South China Sea

Rupert Wingfield Hayes heads to the disputed Spratley Islands to find out how America will respond to this new expansionist challenge from China.

Could the next super-power conflict erupt in the South China Sea? For 70 years the US navy has sailed the western pacific virtually unopposed. But China is now modernising its navy, fortifying its fleet with nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers and long range missiles. It's also attempting to force the Philippines and Vietnam off disputed reefs and spending billions building new island bases more than a thousand kilometres from its own shores. Rupert Wingfield Hayes heads to the disputed Spratley Islands to find out how America will respond to this new expansionist challenge from China.

30 minutes

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Role Contributor
Reporter Rupert Wingfield-Hayes

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