US naval actions in the South China Sea are about hegemony and power politics, a prevailing pursuit in the world in the 19th century, under the cloak of a 21st century pretense to safeguard freedom of navigation and international justice. The reality is: The US wants to check any expansion of Chinese power in the South China Sea.

If Washington embraces cooperation instead of pursuing rivalry, all partners can harvest good results, and the US can still be a powerful partner. Why not do so?

Fundamentally, solving the refugee crisis cannot only rely on having more police, more funds, or more physical walls and fences separating the migrants; the root cause of chaos in the Middle East and North Africa must be eliminated.

Syria’s disintegration exemplifies the eclipse of U.S.-sponsored regime changes, whereas Chinese policy holds the promise of economic development. But time for a global solution is running out.

Because of both past history and the extreme potential danger posed by the weapons themselves, people have reason to demand that Japan show an honest and responsible attitude, and to take action to dispel concerns of the international community about its nuclear intentions.

The award was not an endorsement behind the ideals of the Arab Spring, which has dissolved into chaos. The prize honors the country’s choice of dialogue instead of confrontation, and engaging in negotiation instead of opening fire.

Could access to methane hydrates be behind China’s territorial aggressiveness in the South China Sea? Instead of saber-rattling, China to deploy its sophisticated technology backed by the deep pockets of its Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to create ‘partnerships’ with the Philippines and Vietnam to develop these offshore resources

Inserting itself in the South China Sea disputes and sending a warship to the waters close to China’s islands and reefs, the U.S. risks escalating the trend of militarization in the region. While the two countries need “quiet diplomacy” to resolve differences, further escalation in U.S. military actions will certainly alienate the general public of China and cause a tougher military response, significantly amplifying the risk of a conflict between the two countries.

US actions in the South China Sea are an overreaction to China’s legitimate and civil-oriented reef-building there, and even its allies are less than enthusiastic. The age of hegemonism is consigned to the past, and any country that moves in reckless disregard of that will face the consequences at its own peril.

Washington should talk to Beijing to establish their mutual respect for international law, instead of sending a warship so close to China’s islands, no matter if such rocks are natural or artificial.