America and China Should Avoid Igniting World War III over Rocks and Reefs

America and China Should Avoid Igniting World War III over Rocks and Reefs

Asia-Pacific regional security may hinge on Beijing's ability to clarify and reform its U-shaped claim in the South China Sea.

With that sobering thought in mind, we should be happy if these two world leaders emerge from the Mar-a-Lago talks without any diplomatic fists thrown [打了一拳] and a renewed determination to cooperate across a plethora of domains in order to solve pressing world problems.

Lyle J. Goldstein is associate professor in the China Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI. The opinions expressed in this analysis are his own and do not represent the official assessments of the U.S. Navy or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Image: A Chinese general officer visiting Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Flickr/Department of Defense