As the diverse background of the panelists suggests, the issue of sovereignty, borders, and rights to resources in the South China Sea is contentious and has many different sides.

Let’s remember, though, what September 18th is the anniversary of. The Mukden Incident was a contrived pretext for expanding Japan’s empire into what had until then been Chinese territory. What we are seeing now are the first rumblings of a rising China looking to throw its newfound wealth and power around.