The conflict in the South China Sea is a very pressing issue on the global scale at the moment. It is home to one of the most important shipping routes in the world, and China has been taking over and artificially expanding the islands there for their own military gain. The Hague previously ruled that China has absolutely no right to make any claims on the area, which I agree with, but China has ignored the ruling. For this reason, it is extremely advantageous that countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, and Great Britain have banded together and are conducting joint military exercises. Hopefully as a result of this, China will finally begin to back off seeing as how the rest of the region is unified on the issue. Although Malaysia is the only country out of those doing these exercises with any claims for themselves on areas in the South China Sea, it is good for the other countries to do them as well because of the military threat China poses.
Currently, the only “real” solution that has been made to help the situation is a Code of Conduct, but this clearly has not been effective in stopping China. More action must be taken by either a regional intergovernmental organization, or by the United Nations itself. The first thing I think should be done is a revision of this Code of Conduct, in a way that would benefit the smaller countries with claims on the area as well. Something that might satisfy all parties is allowing the smaller countries at least some portion of the islands, but China would most likely not go for this unless it were to benefit them in a great way.