From the South China Sea to the Himalayan Sino-Indian border, and even in one of its own cities, China has doubled its territory claims, and has taken a hard line in response to perceived challenges.
And as those controversies escalated with new and growing tensions this year, Xi tightened the military and increased its budget, “instructing the continued safeguarding of national sovereignty, security and development interests.”
Here’s what you need to know about China’s major flashpoints in the Asia-Pacific region.
Scattered across small islands, cliffs and shoals, the South China Sea is a crucial global shipping route and home to chaotic territorial disputes.
Who claims: China claims that it owns all of the 1.3 million square miles south of the China Sea, but at least six other governments also overlap regional claims in the waterways fought: the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Taiwan.
The United States has no claims on water, but it has repeatedly challenged China’s claims.
China went ahead and somehow created the islands: Since 2014, China has turned numerous obscure rocks and sandbars – away from its shores – onto man-made artificial islands, powered by missile, runway and weapons systems, and outraged by other governments.
U.S. And its allies have returned by carrying warships through the South China Sea, close to the features claimed or captured by China, called Freedom of Exploration Operations (FONOPS). They say such patrolling applies to the right to pass free passage in international waters; China argues that this is a violation of its sovereignty.
All of this has fueled Chinese fury and increased tensions; China launched a series of ballistic missiles at sea, with state-run media warning that “China is not afraid of war.”
Why this is important: Under international law, the owner of the islands’ fighting wire at sea will have the right to all nearby water resources, such as fish, oil and gas. More broadly, this will control any of the world’s most valuable trading routes controlling the ocean – it hosts a third of all global shipping.
What’s the deal with Taiwan?
Taiwan is a self-governing democratic island of about 24 million people, separated from mainland China in 1949 after the end of the bloody Civil War.
China insists that Taiwan is its territory: Authorities in Beijing claim Taiwan’s full sovereignty, but Taiwan has never been occupied by China’s ruling Communist Party. The two sides have ruled separately for more than seven decades.
Over the years, Beijing has tried to impose diplomatic, trade and military pressure on Taipei, expelling it from the international community – for example, China has successfully blocked Taiwan from joining global agencies such as the World Health Organization.
What this means for other countries: Most countries comply with China’s demand that Taiwan not be recognized as an independent nation, publicly observing Beijing’s view that there is “one China” – although many governments maintain close unofficial relations with Taiwan.
Things increased this summer: In recent months, the U.S. And warm relations have been found between Taiwan – much more than the irritation of China.
In response, China conducted a series of military exercises and aircraft infiltrations into the waters and airspace near Taiwan – a significant increase in tensions.
President Xi is clear in his ambition to “reconnect” the island with the mainland, and has rejected the use of force. China’s state media has called the latest military exercise a “rehearsal for a Taiwan takeover,” and threats of aggression have risen sharply as tensions rise with the U.S.
Why are China and India clashing in the Himalayas?
After fighting a bloody border war in 1962, the two countries adopted the Act-Defined Boundary Line as Actual Control (LAC).
But he disagrees on its position: As the LAC shows on the map, however, the two nuclear powers do not agree on its exact location and both regularly try to overtake it or expand their field.
They have an upset state: The countries signed a series of agreements in the 1990s to try to maintain peace, including an agreement that both sides would fire within 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) of the LAC.
But a meaningful peacekeeping system can go a long way – partly because of an increasingly fixed foreign policy on both sides.
Why is China fighting Japan on some small islands?
Both China and Japan have claimed a rocky, desolate island chain in the East China Sea.
Located 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) southwest of Tokyo, these islands are known as the Senkaku Islands of Japan and Daewoo Island in China.
These islands are also claimed by Taiwan, where they are known as the Tiaoyutai Islands.
Overlapping claims: Both China and Taiwan say their claims to the island chain extend back to the 1400s when used as a staging point for Chinese fishermen.
However, Japan says that during the 1885 survey it did not find any trace of Chinese control over the islands, so it formally recognized them as a Japanese sovereign territory in 1895. After World War II, the U.S. invaded Japan. Captured – but the islands eventually returned. , And Japan has operated them since the 1970s.
Why this is important: The field has many favorite resources; It has a rich fishing ground, and recent surveys suggest that the waters around the islands may have oil and natural gas reserves.
How things grew: China and Japan have been embroiled in a tight-to-tat conflict for years since the issue escalated in September 2012, after the Japanese government formally purchased the islands from their private Japanese owners. This resulted in some of the largest protests seen in major Chinese cities in decades.
Now things stand where: Both countries have increased their rhetoric; Japan has filed a diplomatic protest and China has accused Japan of violating its sovereignty.
This summer’s surge has caused international alarm; Under the Mutual Defense Agreement with Tokyo, the U.S. Has a duty to defend the islands as part of Japanese territory.
What’s going on in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous Chinese city was plunged into a political crisis in 2019 as anti-government protests paralyzed much of the area. Protesters had many complaints, including alleged police brutality and limited democratic freedoms – but the city has a conflicting relationship with the central government in Beijing.
Is Hong Kong part of China? Yes – but as a former British territory, when it was ceded to China in 1997, it was granted freedom of the press, speech and assembly. Hong Kong also has its own legal and political systems, currency and trade. These freedoms are in stark contrast to China’s dictatorial leadership and strict censorship.
China, meanwhile, has criticized the movement as a threat to security and stability. Some protesters have also called for Hong Kong’s independence, and called on other countries for help, which China has condemned as an unacceptable challenge to its national sovereignty.
China said the law, which allows Beijing to accept new powers, is needed to curb unrest; Critics say it is a devastating blow to Hong Kong’s independence.
Now things stand where: The law has already been used to make numerous arrests; For example, many people were arrested in September for using protest slogans, which are now criminal. Those convicted under the law could face up to life in prison.
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