Inside the International Contest Over the Most Important Waterway In the World.

The article discusses various aspects of an international contest over the South China Sea waterway as of 2016, and it mentions how the governments of Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines each claim ownership to land masses and portions of the Spratly Islands such as Flat Island and Fiery Cross Reef. The economic aspects of international trade involving the South China Sea are assessed, along with the presence of U.S. armed forces in the South China Sea region.