Yes, we are in the 21st century, but the Darwinian nature of international politics has not dramatically changed in recent times, as exemplified by Russia's unabashed annexation of Crimea and China's sweeping territorial push across the Western Pacific. As much as we would want our world to be strictly governed by international law, power politics, however, continues to shape our globalized world (See John Mearsheimer's
Tragedy of Great Power Politics), with more powerful countries still pressing ahead with their interests even under immense international pressure.
Despite widespread international outcry, China has effectively concluded its construction activities on disputed features in the Spratly chain of islands, creating a sprawling network of civilian and military installations at the heart of one of the world's most important waterways. If and when China chooses to impose an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the area, it would be in a position to push its neighbors out of features under their control.
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