Along with a number of China's smaller neighbors, Vietnam has maritime and territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea.

Source: https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20230415/us-vietnam-pledge-to-boost-ties-as-blinken-visits-hanoi

Also in December, a Chinese jet a U.S. aircraft flying over international waters in the South China Sea.

Source: https://spectator.org/bidens-ballooning-foreign-policy-blunders/

Although economics plays a part, China’s actions in the South China Sea are part of a much broader aggressive campaign.

Source: https://interaksyon.philstar.com/politics-issues/2023/04/21/249110/us-fake-warship-south-china-sea-naval-rivalry-beijing/

And Craig Hooper reports in Forbes that the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab has unveiled a new prototype called the “Stern Landing Vessel” that could “change the game in the South China Sea.”

Source: https://www.lawfareblog.com/water-wars-aukus-goes-nuclear

A small Philippine military contingent lives there aboard a World War II American ship that the Philippines deliberately landed there in 1999 to bolster Philippine territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Source: https://houstonianonline.com/us-warns-china-leave-philippine-ships-alone/

At a summit last month, ASEAN leaders discussed "serious incidents" in the South China Sea and ongoing negotiations for a code of conduct aimed at reducing the risk of conflict there.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/south-china-sea-asean-hold-first-joint-military-drills-3548521?cid=cna_flip_070214

At the height of tensions between the US and China over the South China Sea, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in 2018 to unveil his strategy for the Indo-Pacific.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/cold-war-us-china-tensions-over-south-china-sea-pm-modi-donald-trump-fumio-kishida-japans-indo-pacific-strategy-russia-ukraine-war-8517498/

Australia and the Philippines have commenced regular joint navy and airforce patrols in the South China Sea, as Pacific nations warily eye an increasingly assertive China.

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12792433/Anthony-Albaneses-Newspoll-popularity-freefall.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

“(Australia) and Vietnam share a view on the South China Sea, and that the Convention on the Law of the Sea needs to be upheld and maintained,” Mr Albanese told media in Hanoi on Saturday.

Source: https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/asia-news/2023/06/04/albanese-us-china-talk-vietnam/

Beijing has also been rapidly adding nuclear warheads, taking a tougher line on its claim to the South China Sea and painting a scenario of impending confrontation.

Source: https://krdo.com/news/2023/04/16/g-7-envoys-urge-tough-stance-on-chinese-n-korean-aggression/

BEIJING: The US Navy said its guided-missile destroyer USS Milius conducted a navigational rights and freedoms mission in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands on Monday (Apr 10).

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/south-china-sea-us-navy-uss-milius-3407496?cid=cna_flip_070214

Biden also reaffirmed the US’s “ironclad” commitment to provide support to the country in defending itself in the Pacific including the South China Sea.

Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/05/02/marcos-biden-agree-to-enhance-us-companies-investments-in-phl/

Both sides have long disagreed over the presence of U.S. warships in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, which China claims as its own waters and the United States considers international waters.

Source: https://thediplomat.com/2023/02/what-does-international-law-say-about-chinas-spy-balloon-and-the-us-response/

By 2001, when bilateral relations were shaken by a midair collision over the South China Sea between a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. Navy EP-3 reconnaissance plane, Dr. Green was serving on President George W. Bush’s national security Asia team.

Source: https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2023/0303/US-China-conundrum-Can-hotline-diplomacy-work-if-trust-isn-t-a-goal?icid=rss

China also just concluded joint drills with Singapore in the southern reaches of the South China Sea, in international waters, according to Singapore's defence ministry on Friday.

Source: https://gazette.com/news/us-world/chinese-troops-to-hold-rare-joint-military-exercise-in-laos/article_4a4595e2-1d97-5301-8378-8e06568b741c.html

China also took issue with the arguments of COCIS and other countries that UNCLOS members are obliged to protect the marine environment as cited in the South China Sea arbitration ruling.

Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/09/18/china-opposes-bid-to-require-nations-to-protect-oceans/

China calls U.S. warships in South China Sea 'a provocation'

Source: https://www.euronews.com/2023/08/23/chinese-ships-block-philippine-coast-guard-in-latest-south-china-sea-standoff

China has accused the Philippines of enlisting “foreign forces” to patrol the South China Sea and stirring up trouble.

Source: https://globalnation.inquirer.net/223446/philippines-and-australia-start-sea-air-patrols-in-south-china-sea

China's claims have led to long-standing territorial disputes with other countries in the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest trade routes.

Source: https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20231027/us-military-says-chinese-fighter-jet-came-within-10-feet-of-b-52-bomber-over-south-china-sea

China’s Transport Ministry on Wednesday said its South China Sea maritime security center placed the three beacons close to Irving Reef, Whitson Reef, and Gaven Reef of the Spratly islands, which is consisted of many islets, reef banks and shoals.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/china-deploys-three-navigation-beacons-in-the-south-china-sea/3100246/