Spratly Islands

Here's a map showing a small island group called the Spratly Islands. From a geographical standpoint, it looks like these islands are close neighbors to Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines (Palawan is a Philippine island which is quickly becoming an international tourist destination). However, China has been stirring up controversy by building an alleged air base in this area. What adds to the controversy is that the South China Sea is a primary sea route for international trading - one estimate is $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Not only that, but there is speculation that this region may be potential sources of crude oil and natural gas. Now everyone's eyes are on China. Here are some links to some interesting articles:

http://www.businessinsider.com/china-is-building-islands-in-south-china-sea-at-mischief-reef-2015-4

http://cnnphilippines.com/world/2015/04/19/see-chinas-secret-ocean-airbase.html

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2015/04/13/China-reclamation-ecological-damage.html