If you have an interest in international relations or geopolitical strategy, "The South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia" will grip you with its detailed dive into one of the world's most tense and critical regions. Bill Hayton brings the disputes to life, helping you understand the myriad of interests clashing over this pivotal maritime territory. The stakes are high here – control over vital trade routes, national security concerns, and the potential for conflict amongst global powers – which makes this book not just informative but also a compelling read for anyone keen to grasp the complex dynamics shaping our world's political landscape.

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Why the world can't afford to be indifferent to the simmering conflict in the South China Sea"The greatest risk today in U.S.-Chinese relations is the South China Sea, through which passes 40% of world trade. . . . Hayton explains how this all came about and points to the growing risks of miscalculation and escalation."—Daniel Yergin, Wall Street JournalChina’s rise has upset the global balance of power, and the first place to feel the strain is Beijing’s back the South China Sea. For decades tensions have smoldered in the region, but today the threat of a direct confrontation among superpowers grows ever more likely. This important book is the first to make clear sense of the South Sea disputes. Bill Hayton, a journalist with extensive experience in the region, examines the high stakes involved for rival nations that include Vietnam, India, Taiwan, the Philippines, and China, as well as the United States, Russia, and others. Hayton also lays out the daunting obstacles that stand in the way of peaceful resolution. Through lively stories of individuals who have shaped current conflicts—businessmen, scientists, shippers, archaeologists, soldiers, diplomats, and more—Hayton makes understandable the complex history and contemporary reality of the South China Sea. He underscores its crucial importance as the passageway for half the world’s merchant shipping and one-third of its oil and gas. Whoever controls these waters controls the access between Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Pacific. The author critiques various claims and positions (that China has historic claim to the Sea, for example), overturns conventional wisdoms (such as America’s overblown fears of China’s nationalism and military resurgence), and outlines what the future may hold for this clamorous region of international rivalry.

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