mandag 14. november 2016

Trump's challenge: Can he stop conflict in the South China Sea?

Start with the South China Sea, one of the world's tensest geopolitical situations. China's aggressive seizures of land and building of artificial islands have caused alarm in the United States. The fear in Washington is that China could become a de facto hegemonic power, coming to dominate Southeast Asian nations who have competing territorial claims in the area but no real military might with which to back them up. The South China Sea is also one of the world's most important shipping waterways. Trillions of dollars of goods pass through it every year -- and the US is concerned that China's expansion could eventually allow them to control the waterways outright, and therefore the ability to impact the free flow of trade.

There are a host of other China issues facing Trump, including cyber security concerns and fears of Chinese currency manipulation. Many economists have said China's ongoing economic slowdown could have negative effects globally. And China's massive consumption of coal is contributing to global warming. Read more