The United States no longer has military primacy in the Pacific and could struggle to defend allies against China, a top Australian think tank has warned.
Donald Trump's presidency has deepened concerns that Washington would not defend its allies in the face of aggression from China. But this latest report has suggested that the United States may struggle to help even if it wanted to. Under President Xi Jinping, China's official defence budget has increased by around 75 percent to $178 billion -- although the true figure is believed to be much more.
That advantage could be used to seize territory in Taiwan, Japanese-administered islands or the South China Sea before US forces could get there.
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