[intrnttrll]

And that is different than the Monroe Doctrine? Or vietnam's claim. Or taiwan's claim.

Or it could just be the rampant anti-china propaganda as a result of the trade war?

The fact of the matter is everyone is driving the world's biggest lift truck and everyone is insecure. Especially those who bring it up in the first place.

[cltsang]

Your "argument" ignores the ridiculousness of China's nine dash line altogether. If we just let China continue to do what it does, civilization will continue to deteriorate.

[yorwba]

The only country in the region whose territorial claims seem to be in line with international maritime law is Brunei; they don't have enough of a navy to defend ridiculous claims. Everyone else overextends their territorial claims into international waters. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/South_Ch...

Vietnam is right to complain about China building military bases and interfering with maritime traffic in the area, but they shouldn't put their own bases there either. As it stands, they're simultaneously victim and perpetrator kn this conflict. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Spratly_...