China claims the majority of the South China Sea as its territory, despite overlapping claims by a number of other Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam. "China's three military bases in the Spratlys and another on Woody Island in the Paracels will allow Chinese military aircraft to operate over nearly the entire South China Sea," AMTI said in a statement. JUST WATCHED South China Sea: A virtual explainer Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH South China Sea: A virtual explainer 01:55China declared its East China Sea ADIZ in November 2013, antagonizing Japan and the United States, who both said they didn't recognize itA similar zone in the South China Sea could rapidly increase tensions in the region, experts said. JUST WATCHED US starts 'routine' patrols in South China Sea Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH US starts 'routine' patrols in South China Sea 00:46China's next step would be to very slowly deploy planes to the artificial islands to gauge the local and US response, Thayer said. South China Sea tensions generally had waned in the past nine months, since Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte took power and sought a closer relationship with China, Storey said.

Source: CNN March 28, 2017 11:26 UTC