The American aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz with their carrier strike groups during a July 2020 drill in the South China Sea. Photo: EPA
Explainer |
Why are tensions running high in the South China Sea dispute?
- The strategic waterway is at the centre of long-simmering territorial disputes involving China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei
- The US has upped the stakes by accusing China of bullying, and both sides have stepped up military drills in the contested waters
Knowledge |
Asia’s territorial disputes
The American aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz with their carrier strike groups during a July 2020 drill in the South China Sea. Photo: EPA
