The South China Sea: Two Fears, One Shared

China’s artificial island projects in the South China Sea spark unease among ASEAN citizens, who see the large-scale builds as a disruptive shift in their shared maritime backyard, But the same projects feel like a critical safeguard to Chinese people—rooted in the trauma of the 1840 Opium War and a century of humiliation, they represent a vow to never again be vulnerable to foreign intrusion. At its core, both sides are chasing the same basic need: security. The key to peace lies in recognizing each other’s fears instead of dismissing them.

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