Lawfare
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold conducts underway operations in the South China Sea. Source: U.S. Navy.
The South China Sea’s Continued Militarization
China’s continued militarization of the South China Sea has put both neighboring and Western countries on high alert. In December 2021, China deployed both of its aircraft carriers—Liaoning and Shandong—to conduct live-fire drills in the South China Sea. The exercisesJapan Focused on Defense Expansion, while U.S. Makes a Soft-Power Push