ABSTRACT Imagine a vast, shimmering expanse of water, a lifeline for global trade and a treasure trove of natural resources, now caught in a web of escalating tensions. The South China Sea, a region pulsing with economic and strategic significance, has become a stage where nations vie for dominance, their actions rippling across economies, ecosystems, … Leggi tutto China’s Gray Zone Strategy in the South China Sea: Escalation Dynamics, Philippine Resistance and the U.S.-Philippine Alliance in 2025