For most of the South China Sea’s history, its waters have enjoyed a rich tradition of cross-cultural communication. The shared cultures and goods created one of the most vibrant communities of antiquity.

To truly understand the Chinese we must see them through their eyes instead of our own.

In the comfortable West we sometimes forget that, having lived 66 years without a major war, the geopolitical situation still changes in ways which directly affect us, one way or the other.