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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

Credit

RoleContributor
ReporterRupert Wingfield-Hayes

Broadcasts

  • Fri 21 Nov 201420:30GMT
  • Sat 22 Nov 201411:30GMT
  • Sun 23 Nov 201417:30GMT
  • Sun 23 Nov 201422:30GMT
  • Tue 25 Nov 201402:30GMT
  • Fri 28 Nov 201400:30GMT
  • Fri 28 Nov 201403:30GMT