As has been the case with many confrontations in history, aggressive countries draw proverbial lines in the sand to mark their own expansion plans against the resolve of other countries whose territories they covet.

In the present day People’s Republic of China [PRC], however, it’s not a line in the sand but a “10-dash line” map of China’s expanded and widened borders in the South and East China seas that is drawing criticism from China’s neighbors as well as the United States.

Citing “national boundaries,” China announced more than a year ago that it was expanding its control over lucrative seafaring lanes in the South China Sea, and finally made that move official August 1.

As a result, neighboring countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei have seen their own maritime claims challenged by China’s new stake of expanded nautical territory. Those nations are challenging China’s ongoing encroachment.

Read more: http://apdforum.com/en_GB/article/rmiap/articles/online/features/2014/11/25/china-ten-dash