South China Sea Issue Is Litmus Test for Sino-U.S. Relationship

American officials were recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying the U.S. military will send warships and fighter jets to the South China Sea as a show of its concern over maritime safety. They said U.S. warships would come within 12 nautical miles of where China is building artificial islands.

The claims have set off a major storm in the international community, with some questioning the intentions of the United States, while others are worried the move will trigger military conflict between China and the United States.