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(CNN) – Since taking office in 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping has helped solidify China’s position as a global superpower and pushed for aggressive foreign policy, making bolder moves in several key spots in Asia.
From the South China Sea to the China-India border of the Himalayas, and even in one of its own cities, China has redoubled its claims to territory and taken a tougher line in response to perceived challenges.
And as those disputes escalated this year with renewed and growing tensions, Xi has beefed up the military and increased its budget, with the instruction to “resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.”
Here’s what you need to know about China’s hot spots in the Asia-Pacific region.
Why do countries fight for the South China Sea?
Dotted with tiny islands, reefs, and sandbars, the South China Sea is a crucial global transportation route and home to a disorderly territorial dispute.
Who claims what: China claims it owns nearly the entire 1.3 million square mile South China Sea, but at least six other governments also have overlapping territorial claims on the disputed waterway: the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Taiwan.
The United States does not have any claims on the waters, but has repeatedly challenged China’s claims.
China went ahead and built islands anyway: Since 2014, China has turned numerous dark reefs and sandbars, far off its coast, into man-made islands heavily fortified with missiles, airstrips and weapons systems, which that provoked the clamor of the other governments.
The United States and its allies have backed down by sailing warships through the South China Sea near China-claimed or occupied features, in what it calls freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS). They say that such patrols enforce the right of free passage in international waters; China argues that these are violations of its sovereignty.
But things are escalating now: America has stepped up its challenges this year; It formally rejected China’s claims as illegal and sanctioned dozens of Chinese companies for building the artificial islands. In July, two US Navy carriers conducted joint military drills at sea for the first time in six years, a strong show of force.
All this has provoked Chinese fury and increased tensions; China launched a series of ballistic missiles into the sea, and state media warned that “China is not afraid of war.”
Why it matters: Under international law, whoever owns the disputed island chain at sea will have the rights to all resources in its nearby waters, such as fish, oil and gas. More generally, whoever controls this sea will also have power over one of the world’s most valuable trade routes: it hosts a third of all global shipments.
What about Taiwan?
Taiwan is an autonomous democratic island of around 24 million people, which separated from mainland China in 1949 after the end of a bloody civil war.
China insists that Taiwan is its territory: the Beijing authorities claim full sovereignty of Taiwan, even though Taiwan has never been controlled by the ruling Communist Party of China. The two sides have ruled each other separately for more than seven decades.
For years, Beijing has tried to impose diplomatic, commercial and military pressure on Taipei, marginalizing it from the international community; for example, China has succeeded in preventing Taiwan from joining global agencies like the World Health Organization.
What this means for other countries: Most countries abide by 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 also maintain close ties. unofficial with Taiwan.
Things escalated this summer – recent months have seen a warmer relationship between the US and Taiwan, much to the ire of China.
Two high-profile US officials visited Taiwan in the space of two months, in a symbolic show of support from the Trump administration. In August, the United States also sold 66 fighter jets to Taiwan, the largest arms sale to the island in years.
In response, China carried out a series of military exercises and aircraft incursions into the waters and airspace near Taiwan, marking a significant escalation in tensions.
Chinese officials warned in September that “China firmly opposes any form of official exchange between the United States and Taiwan.” Some have also hinted at the threat of sanctions against US officials.
President Xi has been clear in his ambitions to “reunify” the island with the mainland and has refused to rule out the use of force. The recent military drills were described in Chinese state media as a “rehearsal for a Taiwan takeover” and threats of invasion have risen dramatically as tensions with the United States mount.
Why do China and India collide in the Himalayas?
The conflict between China and India centers on a long-disputed border in the Himalayas.
After waging a bloody border war in 1962, the two countries drew a loosely defined line of demarcation called the Line of Royal Control (LAC).
But they disagree on its location: Although LAC appears on maps, the two nuclear powers disagree on its precise location and both regularly accuse the other of overshooting it or seeking to expand its territory.
They have an uneasy status quo: The countries signed a series of agreements in the 1990s to try to keep the peace, including an agreement that neither side will open fire within 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) of LAC.
But things got ugly this year: June saw the bloodiest Sino-Indian showdown in more than 40 years. Troops on the border fought with fists and stones, in a brawl that killed at least 20 Indian soldiers; China did not recognize any victims. Both sides accused the other of crossing the border.
Things heated up in September after each side accused the other’s troops of firing warning shots. It is believed to be the first time that shooting has been fired along the border since 1975.
Where are things now: Officials are now in de-escalation talks; In late September, both sides agreed to stop sending troops to the border and to strengthen communications.
But a meaningful peacekeeping mechanism could be a long way off, in part due to increasingly assertive foreign policy on both sides.
Why is China fighting Japan over a few tiny islands?
Both China and Japan have claimed as their own a chain of rocky and uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.
Located 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) southwest of Tokyo, the islands are known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and the Diaoyu Islands in China.
The islands are also claimed by Taiwan, where they are known as the Tiaoyutai Islands.
The Overlapping Claims: Both China and Taiwan say their claims to the island chain date back to the 15th century, when it was used as a stopping point for Chinese fishermen.
However, Japan says it did not see any trace of Chinese control of the islands during an 1885 study, so it formally recognized them as Japanese sovereign territory in 1895. The American occupation of Japan after World War II complicated things. but the islands were finally returned. and Japan has administered them since the 1970s.
Why it matters: The area has highly coveted resources; It has a rich fishing ground, and recent studies suggest that the waters around the islands may contain deposits of oil and natural gas.
How things escalated: China and Japan have been involved in tit-for-tat fights for years, and the problem escalated dramatically in September 2012 after the Japanese government formally bought the islands from their private Japanese owner. This resulted in some of the largest protests seen in major Chinese cities in decades.
Tensions rose again this June after a Japanese city council bill stated that “the islands are part of Japanese territory.”
Meanwhile, China has flexed its military muscles; Japan announced in June that Chinese government ships have been spotted in waters near the islands every day since April. And in July, Chinese coast guard boats intruded into Japan’s territorial waters several times, forcing the Japanese coast guard to block them from approaching Japanese fishing boats.
The number of Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) warplanes flying near or around the Southwest Japan air zone, which includes the disputed island chain, has also risen exponentially in recent years. years, according to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).
Where are things now: The two countries have stepped up their rhetoric; Japan has made diplomatic protests and China has accused Japan of infringing on its sovereignty.
The escalation this summer has raised international alarm; Under a mutual defense pact with Tokyo, the United States is obligated to defend the islands as part of Japanese territory.
What’s going on in Hong Kong?
The semi-autonomous Chinese city of Hong Kong plunged into a political crisis in 2019 when anti-government protests paralyzed much of the territory. The protesters had many complaints, including alleged police brutality and limited democratic freedoms, but at the center of it all is the city’s troubled relationship with the central government in Beijing.
Is Hong Kong part of China? Yes, but as a former British territory, it was granted freedom of press, speech and assembly when it was returned to China in 1997. Hong Kong also has its own legal and political systems, currency and trade. These freedoms are in stark contrast to China’s authoritarian leadership and strict censorship.
So what is the conflict? Under the handover agreement, Hong Kong is supposed to maintain its limited autonomy until 2047, but many Hong Kongers say China is violating that promise and encroaching on their freedoms. This fear was compounded by a controversial extradition bill last year, which sparked protests and was later scrapped.
Meanwhile, China has criticized the move as a threat to security and stability. Some protesters also called for Hong Kong’s independence and appealed to other countries for help, which China condemned as an unacceptable challenge to their national sovereignty.
How things escalated: In June, China cracked down on imposing a national security law for Hong Kong, completely bypassing the city’s own legislature. Details of the law were not released to the public until it was passed.
China said the law, which gives Beijing broad powers, is necessary to curb the unrest; critics say it is a devastating blow to Hong Kong’s freedoms.
Where are things now: The law has already been used to make numerous arrests; for example, several people were arrested in September for using protest slogans, which are now criminalized. Those convicted by law could face sentences of up to life in prison.
Since it came into force, political parties have been dissolved, protest posters have been removed throughout the city, and Hong Kong people are fleeing seeking asylum or refuge in other countries.
This story was first published on CNN.com ‘China is doubling down on its territorial claims and that is causing conflict across Asia’
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