China’s plan to draw straight baselines around the Spratly Islands and declare much of South China Sea as part of its internal water closed to foreign planes and ships would further escalate tensions in the region, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI). “China has made no secret of its intention to eventually declare straight baselines around the rest of its claimed features in the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands,” AMTI said.

Lee-Brago, P., Cayabyab, M. J., & Felipe, C. S. (2019, March 26). China's Spratlys baseline plan exceeds nine-dash line. The Philippine Star, p. 6.