Quote Originally Posted by carl View Post
They do appear to have definitely made their minds up about this don't they?
China appears is at its tethers end and her patience is running out.

Though they have claimed the whole South China Sea, I read somewhere that they control 13% physically.

There is no doubt that China requires the natural resources that is there in the South China Sea to engine her growth. The South China Sea is also required by China to establish her strategic presence in the area as also to have unfettered access into the Pacific.

But then so do others require it.

Philippines has a Treaty with the US.

There is no doubt that the situation is ripe for confrontation, but will the Chinese precipitate any crisis?

Maybe and maybe not.

Would China like to lose goodwill of its neighbours? Even if it is not concerned about the goodwill aspect given that China might find the South China Sea more important for China than goodwill, there is the danger that it will spook her other friends beyond the Pacific rim. That may not go down well.

One wonders what China will do.

US will surely be watching the issue closely.