Tensions have reached new levels four years after the arbitral decision declared unlawful and without basis Beijing’s absurd “nine-dash line” territorial claim of 1.3 million square miles in the South China Sea (SCS). For several years, continuing buildup of military fortifications in several islands and the series of incursion incidents has created what geopolitical analysts warn as a deteriorating situation. It has been reported that Beijing will soon declare an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the South China Sea revealing the readiness of their facilities to enforce air traffic control over the SCS and a clear imposition of the national authority.

Oxales, O. (2020, July 13). Growing resistance to Beijing aggression. Manila Standard, p. B1.