Economy & Trade
South China Sea Standoff — Dual Exercises Expose the Escalation Spiral's Breaking Point
⚡ FAST READ1-min read Simultaneous US and Chinese military exercises in the South China Sea in early 2026 have pushed accidental conflict risk to its highest level since the 2001 EP-3 incident, forcing regional powers into urgent diplomatic triage as both superpowers signal they will not back down. ── 3 Key Points