South China Sea. And Stuff.

Response to: “South China Sea issue, a global concern, says Japan.” 

OF course, the South China Sea is a global concern. Always is. Trillion$ worth of commercial/maritime shipping passed through it, for starters. These days as trade works in/around China, India, Japan, South Korea et al, SCS could be more valuable globally than the Persian Gulf, Suez Canal, Strait of Hormuz, or Baltic Sea. 

       Ergo, if a Gaza/Ukraine level war explodes in South China Sea, who benefits? The U.S. and Europe (or E.U.) or G7. Who gets derailed? China and India or BRICS. (The "odd man out" in both? Japan, who is also a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. 

       The RCEP free trade agreement gathers 15 Asia-Pacific nations, led by China and including Australia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Singapore. These nations account for about 30 percent of the world's population and 30 percent of global GDP, making it the largest trade bloc in history. 

       Obviously, or clearly, we should know what powers benefit per current wars in Gaza (think reactivation of "arms for oil" in West/Middle East bilateral deals, think disruption of economic activities of new BRICS members from the region) and Ukraine (think NATO expansion, think natural gas, think Baltic Sea).    

      This neverending drama in South China Sea stays as that, drama. But the drama ups U.S. military aid mojo in the region. Already, Japan and South Korea are #1 and #3 top hosts of U.S. troops overseas. 

       However, per obvious reasons, China will not bite the Joe Biden dare. Potus' current rat trap is Taiwan but Taiwan's top trade partner is China, its kin. Stupid to fight bro. If ever China responds militarily? It would be via North Korea. Pyongyang can easily paralyze Asia by damaging nuclear plants in SK and Japan, while targeting U.S. military there. 

       Yet all Kim Jong-un does is counter bullying the West. Of course. In all, if war does indeed happen? Who get hit? Asians. America and Europe stay relatively safe and comfortable. China is formidable as a Wall (think Boxer Rebellion of yore as historical basis).

       However, Beijing or CCP isn't that dumb to wage war in Asia, with its investments scattered all over the region and its cultural bloodline imprinted all over. ☮️☮️☮️

Visual: U.S. Naval Institute.