Supporting the U.S.-led international order, Britain will establish a new naval base in Southeast Asia. To be most effective, the Royal Navy should use that base to facilitate submarine operations.

Still, the U.S. should be grateful for Britain’s decision here. As first reported by the Sunday Telegraph, this decision isn’t an easy one. This is especially true in the context of the challenge of Brexit. After all, Britain is concerned that Brexit will lead to a short-medium term economic decline and possible recession. At the same time, however, China has been offering major economic investments to the U.K. in return for its silence on China’s agitation in the South China Sea. But where former British Prime Minister David Cameron chose the Chinese trough over the preservation of international order, Prime Minister Theresa May and her defense secretary, Gavin Williamson, are righting that mistake.