The latest satellite imagery of the South China Sea clearly shows that the Chinese have stepped up a notch in terms of completing the construction of an artificial island in a bid to gain a stranglehold of the region, a measure that has really annoyed quite a few regional players and has also ruffled a few feathers down in Washington.

South China Sea Fleet

For years, China has claimed to have sovereignty over the much-talked region and although the likes of Malaysia, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei have also claimed right over the disputed territory, it is clear that the Chinese are not in any mood to relinquish their stance over the zone.

The importance of this strategic area cannot be stressed enough considering the fact that each year, approximately $5.3 trillion worth of goods pass through this area which means that any state having prime authority over these water, will be reaping quite a few economic rewards through these passes. Beijing is desperate to gain control over the transit routes that are peppered all over the South China Sea and despite the annoyance of United States over the issue, is not going to dampen down its resolve.

 Read more: http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/09/south-china-sea-a-hot-debate-on-the-horizon/