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The Republic of Taiwan took over these islands from the Japanese after World War II and established a "nine dash line" outlining their territorial claims. These were later assumed by the People's Republic of China in 1949. Image url: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/sea-07252013220917.html/SEA-ninedash600.jpg
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Nixon's detente with China, warming U.S. and Chinese relations. Image url: https://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/2015/09/21/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-19720221-nixon-mao-photo.jpg
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China claimed islands previously held by a Vietnamese garrison in 1974. The most prominent was named Woody Island featuring an artifical harbor and landing strip. Image url: http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--876WreEi--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/1500874436010510255.png
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Vietnamese and Chinese navies both try and flex their might and claim parts of the Spratly Islands. Vietnam claims to have lost 64 sailors due to the battle that day. China eventually won dominion over the Johnson South Reef. Image url: https://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/2014/06/06/a755f00cacb9765d423aa99eb1a45b74.jpg
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The former European possessions of Macau and Hong Kong are returned to the People's Republic marking an end to imperialist influence over the Middle Kingdom. Image URL: http://www.whitecase.com/sites/whitecase/files/images/locations/HongKong_Tablet_1920x960.jpg
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The rise in tensions was somewhat abatted when China and member of the coalition ASEAN, including Vietnam, with which China had had military conflict with signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea." While the declaration helped with tensions, it did have any binding legal codes or ramifications. Image URL: http://russia-insider.com/sites/insider/files/asean.jpg
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Taiwan builds a 1200 meter runway on the only island it owns in the Spratly Islands. Itu Aba is the largest naturally occurring island in the Spratly Islands. Image URL: http://www.presstv.ir/photo/20160127/2f5cd044-3363-4b23-9716-af7a35169280.jpg
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The People's Republic of China files a claim to the United Nations claiming that they recognizes China's "Nine Dash Line" and claiming their territory extends hundreds of miles away from their furtherest territory, Hainan, well into Vietnam and Malaysia's territory. Both countries object to the claim. Image URL: http://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/unitednations_ss_img.jpg
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The Phillipines filed a case with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague seeking to recognize their claim to 200 miles of exclusive economic zone that fill into the area of the Spratly Islands. China refused to acknowledge the claim. Image URL: http://3scsd23qbzvh2huoxy4223ti.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/03_claimedEEZ.jpg
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According to a report by the IMF, China produced 17.6 trillion dollars worth of goods and service while the U.S. produced 17.4 trillion. Image URL:http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oIhyErTNNW0/UgupFyTbz2I/AAAAAAAAAAA/VES9WzsnyG0/s1600/cool%2Bgeography%2Bchina.jpg
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Satellites pick up Chinese island building efforts in five sites across the Spratly Islands. IHS Janes, a science and weapons group described them as, " a series of air and sea capable fortresses." Image URL: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2015/05/29/south-china-sea-stack/61d10522a5f284dd338f6bbf508b324753682226/islands-1650.jpg
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China conducts test flights on a new airstrip they built on Fiery Cross Reef, causing alarm from Vietnam Image URL: http://amti.csis.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Sept2015_FieryCross.jpg
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China deployed surface to air missiles on Woody Island at the same time President Obama met with ASEAN (Association of South Eastern Asian Nations) leaders to try to stop to the militarization of the South China Sea. Image URL:http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--3ZrvWr7z--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/tcs0jtwddqwqagt7tlbm.jpg
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China lands a military aircraft on the airstrip on Fiery Cross Reef to airlift three ill workers back to Hainan for medical treatment. This comes after China's assurances they will not deploy military aircraft on any of the manmade Spratly Islands. Image url: http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160419121607-south-china-sea-yongshu-jet-0419-02-exlarge-169.jpg
