Thinking About China
Opinion

The Philippines Flashpoint

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The Philippines Flashpoint
An airfield, buildings, and structures are seen on the artificial island built by China in Subi Reef, Spratly Islands, South China Sea, on Oct. 25, 2022. Ezra Acayan/Getty Images
Stu Cvrk
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Commentary

Hot wars frequently happen where they are least expected, or while attention is diverted elsewhere. The North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950, the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the 1998–99 Kosovo conflict, and other armed hostilities surprised many by their eruption and intensity. The world has been fixated on Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022, while the Taiwan Strait has been brought into acute international focus by increased People’s Liberation Army (PLA) saber-rattling in the waters and airspace surrounding Taiwan throughout 2022 and 2023.

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Stu Cvrk
Stu Cvrk
Author
Stu Cvrk retired as a captain after serving 30 years in the U.S. Navy in a variety of active and reserve capacities, with considerable operational experience in the Middle East and the Western Pacific. Through education and experience as an oceanographer and systems analyst, Cvrk is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he received a classical liberal education that serves as the key foundation for his political commentary.
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