Battle lines: What's it like to be attacked by Beijing in the South China Sea and why is China hoarding gold?

Chinese coast guard vessels fire water cannons at a Philippine supply vessel. Photo: Adrian Portugal/Reuters

In this episode of Battle Lines, we join The Telegraph's Asia correspondent Nicola Smith for a special report aboard a Philippine ship patrolling the simmering conflict in the South China Sea. Then we talk to economics reporter Melissa Lawford about how China is buying gold and why it means tensions in East Asia could escalate further.

Around the world, from Europe to Asia, from America to the Middle East, tensions are growing between nation-states as traditional alliances and the alliances developing in the 21st century.

This year we will see war in Europe and the Middle East, as well as elections in major economies — from the US and UK to Taiwan. Insurgencies flare in Yemen and Burma, tensions rise in East Africa, and the international security architecture around the world buckles under growing pressure.

Battle Lines, a new podcast from The Telegraph, combines on-the-ground reporting with analytical expertise, which will help the listener better understand the course of world politics, wars and tensions as fault lines sink and slip in an increasingly dangerous and confusing multipolar world.

Listen to Battle Lines using audio. player in this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcast app.