How a Rusty WWII Ship Became a Symbol of Indo-Pacific Power Wrestling

So much is on the line: China’s face and power, the Philippines’ territorial sovereignty, and U.S. credibility and its Indo-Pacific strategy.

The 'BRP Sierra Madre', a marooned transport ship which Philippine Marines live on as a military outpost, is pictured in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on March 30, 2014. Erik De Castro/Reuters

A rusty World War II ship in the South China Sea has become a symbol of defiance in the face of Chinese aggression.

Twenty-five years ago, the Philippines strategically grounded its naval vessel BRP Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands, composed of over 100 small islands and reefs.