Tokyo | Australia has spent years worrying about the moment that China establishes a permanent military foothold in the Pacific. We watch for warships, security agreements and airfields capable of taking military aircraft, treating each as a potential tripwire for a strategic transformation of our neighbourhood.But it’s worth remembering that, currently, Beijing doesn’t need to do anything quite so dramatic.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles