“What you’re seeing in the Philippines is one more step in China’s effort to tighten its control over all parts of the South China Sea,” says retired U.S. Marine Col. Grant Newsham, an expert on the Asia-Pacific region and a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy.

In recent clashes near the submerged reef known as the Second Thomas Shoal, there have been cases of Chinese vessels ramming Philippine ships, deploying water cannons, and injuring several sailors.

In this episode, Newsham breaks down the Chinese communist regime’s decades-long strategy to gain control of the South China Sea, from methodical island building to deploying a combination of Coast Guard, maritime militia, and fishing fleets to harass and intimidate other nations.

Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.