The economic, political and military influence of China continues to grow at a rapid rate. As China increasingly gazes outward beyond its shores, the United States is playing a complex political game attempting to control China's rise while maintaining US influence in the Pacific. Nowhere is this great power duel being played out more concretely than in the South China Sea (SCS). There are some politicians, pundits, and journalists who indicate to the world that war between China, its neighbors, and possibly the United States over the SCS issue is likely or even inevitable. A deeper understanding of the SCS issue reveals, however, that war on a large scale is highly unlikely and counter to the interests of all the players who have a stake in the issue. Regardless of how the rhetoric ebbs and flows on the SCS debate, it will likely remain a controversial, yet controllable, issue between all interested parties. The SCS will remain a source of tension, yet indicators point towards peace rather than conflict in the SCS.
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