As Singapore Airshow 2018 gets under way, we look at the situation in the South China Sea, where conflicting territorial claims have long been a source of tension, particularly between China and its neighbours, who view Chinese expansionism as a thre
For several years now, China and its neighbours have been pursuing competing territorial claims with respect to islands and reefs in the South China Sea. The territories under dispute represent a total of 3,500,000km2. All the countries involved — China and Vietnam in particular — are seeking to extend their zones of influence to include new territories. However, Beijing seems to be widely viewed as the primary troublemaker, due to its status as the dominant regional power. In reaction to China's expansionist policies, the states of Southeast Asia complain that Chinese imperialist ambitions are a threat to regional stability.
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