The U.S. may be losing a one-on-one contest with China for influence. But when you add its allies into the mix, the U.S. bloc is still leading the way.

Countries across the region are expanding defense cooperation in ways that change the South China Sea equation but fall short of a new anti-China bloc.

The U.S. may be losing a one-on-one contest with China for influence. But when you add its allies into the mix, the U.S. bloc is still leading the way.