How Beijing’s islands of control are reshaping the South China Sea

A decade after rejecting an international arbitration ruling on its South China Sea claims, China continues to assert control over disputed islands. This article highlights the widening gap between international law and geopolitical realities in the region. Recently, over a hundred Chinese tourists visited Tree Island in the Paracels, a contested area. They were met with significant modern infrastructure, including housing and government offices, indicating China's ongoing administrative development of these islands. This development underscores the ongoing maneuvering for control by rival nations in the South China Sea.