

Nations: China, this land is not yours.
China: But what if we plant baby cabbages here?
China stares down its neighbors in the South China Sea. These waters boast major shipping routes rich in fish and possible oil and gas reserves. Who owns these islands, coral reefs, and lagoons? China claims them. Other nations claim them too.
You can’t exactly paint a line through the ocean. But you can draw ocean ownership on maps. And when it comes to maps of the South China Sea, each surrounding nation has its own. Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and China all border the sea. And all claim sections that overlap. At one small bit of sea, every single country points and says, “Mine!”
Of course, they can’t all be right.
China wants to own as much ocean as possible. If war ever came, a blockade in the South China Sea could stop Chinese exports—a huge economic blow to China. You can imagine China stretching tentacles of power into the sea. In 1947, China drew a “nine-dash line” through the South China Sea on its maps. This line includes space as much as 1,000 miles away from mainland China. China demands power over everything inside the line.
To own parts of the sea—including the airspace above it—a nation must have habitable land nearby. Several countries claim the hundreds of islands dotting the waters in the South China Sea. Most of these islands can’t be lived on. Still, China has been busy building airstrips, naval ports, and gun turrets on its claimed islands. It uses dredging boats to haul up sediment and build more islands so it can claim more ocean. Workers plant bok choy on beaches to make the land seem livable. According to The Global Times—the Chinese Communist Party’s tabloid—soldiers have grown about 1,653 pounds of bok choy cabbage, lettuce, and baby Chinese cabbage on the Paracel Islands. Vietnam and Taiwan each say these islands belong to them.
Neighbors see China as a bully. World powers watched in April as a Chinese vessel rammed and sank a Vietnamese fishing boat in the disputed waters. All the fishermen onboard survived. But China had sent its message. Chinese representatives said the boat was trespassing and refused to leave. Meanwhile, Vietnamese powers said the boat didn’t have to leave, since it was sailing in Vietnamese waters.
A third of the world’s shipping traffic passes through the South China Sea. People all over Southeast Asia rely on its fish for food. Huge reserves of oil and gas are believed to be hiding under its seabed. Nations use different names for the islands and even the sea itself because they disagree about who owns them.
But most nations agree that China is out of bounds. International laws do not support China’s claims. And in nearby lands from Australia to India you’ll find border disputes and quarrels over trade with China. Each country seems to have a beef with the bully.
Communist China at work
Not surprised...
@HD
lol yeah :)
@Above *Agreed*
Really China? Sigh. Selfishness. Communism. Ridiculous. It seems as if China is involved in everything. Sigh again.
China is pretty much the
China is pretty much the epitome of almost everything you don't want in your country's government. Or environment.
well...
I think that they have been through a lot, so I don't really blame them for not really trusting anyone. But it is very sad how everyone has something to say about them that is bad.
To Drew S
Lol when i saw your initials i thought "wait i commented on this article?" Haha i have the same initials:) It took me a moment to realize it was you not me:)
China is being a bully!
Seriously? China really wants a lot of land. I think it has enough land.
To Addison L
I probably won't have anything nice to say about a Communist government. I'm not saying all the Chinese are bad, but the top Commies running China are. Although, really, how can you seriously believe in all of Communism and be a nice person? It doesn't seem like it would work...
@ Addison L
Here's some good things that I have to say about China because I used to live there and I wish I still did: The food is AMAZING. It is not at all like the "Chinese" food you get in America. The place where I lived, in Yunnan Province, is a small city surrounded by beautiful, lush green mountains. Some of the mountains have villages and farms. The rice terraces are also AMAZING. Look up pictures. And, Hesperus, I knew lots of people who did believe in Communism, and they were really nice. I also knew Chinese Christians who didn't and they were even nicer, because they have the love of Jesus in their hearts.
To KN
I'm not saying everyone who believes in Communism is bad, but I don't think anyone who really believes in everything Communism stands for can be that nice to someone who, say, is a capitalist. I'm also not saying China is bad in of itself, but the government there... Different story.
@ Hesperus
I know what you mean. :-) It's all good!
...
Yea china has done some not so good things. that doesen't mean you have to be rude about it.
Was I rude? My apologies if I
Was I rude? My apologies if I was.
The Philippines?!
I might go there for vacation one day!