Why China Is Building Artificial Islands To Control The South China Sea

China lays claim to basically the entire South China Sea by way of its infamous "nine-dash line." But while China claims the entire area, Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan each have their own claims as well. This has lead to some pretty dicey conflicts within a region that is already quite tense. So why won't China back off its claims and negotiate in good faith?

[billbeyatte]

I flew in the area for the U.S. Navy in 1972 and was strictly forbidden to overfly the Spratlys for fear of provoking an international incident

[thekeywitness]

Very interesting. Be sure to do a follow-up video when the situation further develops.

[johnlangston]

Thank you for this primer on this potential flashpoint.

[Mike-kcew]

The American military was thoroughly expelled from the Philippines. However due to the exact reasons that this video highlights, the U.S. has very much been invited back. Additionally, once chilly relations between the U.S. and Vietnam has now resulted in most favored nation status. I'm not saying that China is their own worst enemy, but they are certainly at the top of the list. China has ensured that America continues to thrive in Southeast Asia.

[raphlvlogs]

this area is also very prone to extreme weather events

[unknown_Noname]

Didn't even know you made this video until I went directly to your channel. YouTube really trying to suppress this issue.

[qiensong]

Just pointing out that the eleven dash line claimed in 1947 by China is claimed by the Republic of China (Taiwan) and America supported such claims as a gift for the victor of WWII, then ROC lost the mainland in 2 years

[CrystalClearWithBE]

I'm from the Philippines, but part of the South China Sea west of the Philippines is what we call the West Philippine Sea along the western maritime boundary according to its government.

[tc]

Nice video but nowhere-else that it mention that the United Nation gave ROC (Republic of China) the authority to reclaim that whole area. With United States support (navy ships), ROC reclaimed all the major island and renamed them with the names of the navy ships.

[allo-other]

8:31 I find it ironic that the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) features in so many videos as a symbol of the USN --- the vessel was scrapped because of 4-days of onboard fire.

[jaciwhy]

I'm new at this channel and I love your style of informing about geography. However, some commenters are very hard on you on your teachings. Information changes all the time. I love when they ADD to your information instead of tearing down your information. Anyway, I appreciate what you are doing. Incidentally, I'm 87 years old, grew up in the South of the US, and never had those teachers teaching anything like this. No wonder "we" were not interested. But that another story. LOL 😂 😂 Keep up the good work.
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[andrewnewton]

It wouldn't take much for even a small clash to turn into a major war.

[Mark_Wheeler]

Please fix your synching. The audio is slightly ahead of the video.

[truthtellerfreethinker]

Is wasn’t an island an underwater coral reefs before it was done.

[VenThusiaist]

2:53
Just wanted to point this out: Filipino, the lingua franca of the Philippines, only allows one vowel combination per syllable and "aa" is not a diphthong in Filipino, so "Kalayaan" is actually pronounced "Ka-La-Ya-An".

[EPL]

Reason to love Mondays:

1. It's my last day of the workweek.
2. If it's a holiday, I earn more money on payday.
3. And of course; Geography by Geoff.

[qhisgch]

Why, blocking the waterways and their plan to have easy target

[LeeSuKwang-oloy]

Eez is not territorial waters. Its illegal for asean countries to treat eez as their territory to annexed China's spratlies in the late 70s.

[gengwang]

Let us look at the marine border between Turkey and Greece, it will help us understand international law

[gregoriolamayo]

Philippine Map was made by a priest during the Spanish era in 17th Century before the Treaty of Paris were signed and now here comes China just awaken from his deep dream made a 10 dash line again claiming said territories of Philippines and other Asian Countries as their own areas of responsibilities with just a click of there fingers without considering the Kalayaan Island a Municipalities of Province of Palawan, Philippines Republic.