The Chinese position is more than hypocritical; it’s short-sighted. Open seas -- and the U.S. Navy’s efforts to defend them -- have been critical to China’s rise and prosperity. Almost 40 percent of the world’s oceans fall within various exclusive zones. Abandoning the principle that all nations should be free to traverse these areas would put at risk the Mideast oil supplies that power China’s economy, the sneakers and light bulbs that its factories export, and Beijing’s own ability to counter piracy and weapons proliferation.
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