US must ensure South China Sea stays open

Washington

THE People's Republic of China is headed on a tragic trajectory that should be familiar to anyone with even cursory exposure to history. Due to a complex composition of factors - a century of torment at the hands of Western powers and Japan as well as a toxic brew of nationalism - the PRC is not content with its place as the world's second largest economy, or even largest when using purchasing-parity power, or PPP, as the benchmark. Nor is China happy with its standing as the planet's second largest military armed with advanced weapons like "carrier-killer" missiles, a budding hypersonic weapons programme and other top-tier offensive platforms. Beijing doesn't even seem to regard its undertaking of major initiatives like the "One Belt, One Road" project and the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank as signs of its rise to global superpower stature.

No, Beijing wants more, and could soon seek to transform the status quo in Asia, especially in the South China Sea, in its favour. Indeed, recent reports suggest that Beijing's surge for hegemony might be around the corner, as its leaders take advantage of a window of opportunity during the final weeks of the US presidential election as America's gaze turns inward.