China’s Sea Control Is a Done Deal, ‘Short of War With the U.S.’

A view of Subi Reef and an array of vessels, seen from a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane during a mission to observe China's militarization of islands in the South China Sea, in International Airspace, Sept. 5, 2018. The flight brings harsh Chinese challenges in officially international space. In congressional testimony by one officer, China is said to be capable of control over the South China Sea "in all scenarios short of war with the United States.” (Adam Dean/The New York Times)