By Lyle Goldstein
Aside from the exceedingly volatile issue of Taiwan, the next most dangerous issue in China-U.S. relations involves the maritime realm. A steady stream of reports has implicated the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), along with the Chinese Maritime Militia, in bullying various neighbors within fishing disputes and concerning the right to explore for seabed resources. This combustible brew has led to crises in the very recent past, including a string of dangerous standoffs between the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, and China in and around Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. These run-ins could have resulted in hostilities and even armed confrontation between the two nuclear-armed superpowers.
This piece was originally published in The Diplomat on November 11, 2023. Read more HERE.