The “fisherfolk” asshattery aside, this is a not insignificant tie in and BZ to those who are seeing, I believe, the long term thinking this helps set the stage for future advancement of our interests. Long awaited and overdue, but you love to see it.

You can just see the tip of Japan on that map. There’s Vietnam to the west. Off the map to the south is Australia … if you can keep weaving connections here with a few other nations in the mix, that does something that, depending on where you sit, is either a solid front against PRC imperial expansion to the east and southeast, or an aggressive act.

Either works for me.

[In the old days, we’d call this “containment.” Of late, we’ve been calling it “imperialism,” but it’s actually the proper strategic alliance and positioning to contain imperialism. — Ed]