You often hear politicians and strategic thinkers talk about establishing "facts on the ground" - the need to take account of what actually exists when framing policy. Well in the South China Sea, the Chinese government is going one step further. As defence ministers and strategic thinkers from across the Asia-Pacific region gather for the annual Shanri-La Dialogue in Singapore, China is not just creating facts on the ground, it is creating the very ground itself. Read more
