China's territorial expansionist ambitions need to be discouraged early.  A coalition of several countries that support Filipino sovereignty in these waters should be there to give the PLA Navy a smack in the mouth.  We need to do that now, before the Chinese military-industrial complex grows bigger.

China clearly believes that it not recieving the level of international influence and respect it's economic and military power entitles it to.  Just as the newly unified German Empire fought a series of short victorious wars in the 19th Century before finally being engulfed in the catastrophes of the two World Wars, the history of the 21st Centiry will be dominated by the rise and ultimately apocalyptic fall of the Chinese Empire.  Truly,  we live in interesting times.

Any local conflict could escalate because the legitimacy of the CCP's rule, and the legitimacy of the PLA as the protector of the CCP and Chinese territory, rest on not losing any conflict.