William Preston

Just three weeks ago, a Chinese Coast Guard ship purposely rammed a Filipino vessel on the open ocean just 100 nautical miles off the coast of the Philippines. The incident marked the first time in recent years that a Chinese Coast Guard ship had done physical damage to a foreign nation's ship. For years, the Chinese Coast Guard and civilian Chinese naval militias have harassed and effectively blockaded Filipino ships from accessing this area of the South China Sea in an attempt to assert control over the area. The incident is one of many occurrences that demonstrate a pattern of belligerent behavior by the Chinese military. Such a pattern proves the need for the United States and its allies to maintain and reinforce its commitment to territorial sovereignty as defined by international law by strengthening alliances and presence in the region.