The United States is showing interest in utilizing Australia's under-used northern military bases to bolster regional defences, as Australia's northern borders are seen as strategically vulnerable. Officials are discussing potential bilateral military cooperation in the region.
China finished the first phase of construction on Antelope Reef in the Paracel Islands on August 19-20, 2026, creating a 6-kilometer artificial island. Military analysts assess the installation will form part of China's largest South China Sea military base.