The South China Sea: Making waves | The Economist

The South China Sea: Making waves | The Economist It opened a think-tank in Arlington, Virginia—an outpost of its National Institute for South China Sea Studies on Hainan, a tropical (and indisputably Chinese) island on the sea’s northern shore. One role for the new think-tank is to make an academic case for China’s vaguely backed assertion that most of the strategically vital waters are within its domain—despite rival claims by South-East Asian countries.    On April 16th the Institute for China-America Studies, as the Virginia-based centre is called, held a conference at a hotel in Washington. Its Chinese-government connections clearly had pull. Henry Kissinger, a former secretary of state whom Chinese leaders much revere, spoke in a pre-recorded video about the importance of ties between Beijing and Washington. Cui Tiankai, China’s ambassador to America, attended in person.http://www.economist.com/news/china/21650150-china-tries-strengthen-its-hand-dangerous-dispute-making-waves?utm_source=The+Sinocism+China+Newsletter&utm_campaign=9f683f1dda-The_Sinocism_China_Newsletter_05_02_155_2_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_171f237867-9f683f1dda-29615013&mc_cid=9f683f1dda&mc_eid=5935182a65