Part 2/8:
To comprehend the current situation in the South China Sea, one must look back to maps from the early 1600s showing maritime trade routes. A significant map, commissioned by a wealthy Chinese merchant, illustrates a time when China was a formidable seafaring civilization engaged in trade with Southeast Asia and beyond. However, at that time, the islands in the South China Sea were largely ignored—they were more a refuge than a point of contention.