South China Sea Disputes: How Ancient Claims Became Modern Conflicts

Elsewhere · Nov 1, 2026 · 18m

China claims 90% of the South China Sea based on maps that didn't exist until the 1940s. Now $3.4 trillion in global trade flows through waters that five countries say they own. In this episode, Tyla Cooper breaks down how worthless rocks became the world's most explosive territorial dispute. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why China built 3,200 acres of artificial islands on seven reefs since 2013 • How 11 billion barrels of oil turned ancient fishing grounds into military flashpoints • The real reason China's Nine-Dash Line maps keep changing depending on who's asking • Why every iPhone shipped from…