Are China-US relations spiraling down into a new cold war? Key flashpoints

Abstract

America and the world are now waking up to the multi-faceted effort of China to project its power and influence both regionally and globally, particularly through the influence of China’s naval power via People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). In the South China Sea (SCS), for example, China has sought to transform the SCS into “China’s Caribbean” (Kaplan) under China’s sovereign control. The US initially reacted with freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) – and by supporting States such as Vietnam being bullied by China in the SCS. The US State Department has forcefully challenged Chinese claims in the SCS stating that “Beijing has failed to put forth a lawful, coherent maritime claim in the South China Sea” noting that the Permanent Court of Arbitration (convened in connection with the dispute between The Philippines and China) “rejected the PRC’s maritime claims as having no basis in international law”.