China's Provocation in the South China Sea: A Pattern of Aggression The recent confrontation between Chinese and Philippine naval personnel at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal has exposed once again Beijing's brazen disregard for international law.
The incident, which left a Filipino sailor injured, is the latest episode in a long running saga of aggression that threatens regional stability.
At its core, this dispute revolves around China's refusal to recognize the 2016 arbitral ruling, which invalidated its expansive claims to the South China Sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).