VietNamNet Bridge – Tension has been rising in the East Sea, with China’s escalating acts: establishing the so-called Shansha city, organizing a government election there, building military station, sending more than 20,000 fishing boats to the sea, etc. To provide more information for the readers, VietNamNet held online talks with Prof. Carl Thayer, from the Center for Defense and Strategic Studies (CDSS), Australian, a well-known expert on security in Southeast Asia, the East Sea and China. The East Sea disputes Prof. Carl Thayer. VietNamNet received a hundred questions from our readers. Below is the full content of the talks.China’s actions - a tit for tat What do you observe about the escalation of tension in the East Sea recently? What has driven the escalation? To what extent is a more confident, assertive China the cause for the tension?Prof. Carl Thayer: Three events precipitated a rise in tensions this year. … [Read more...] about Provoking a military dispute in the East Sea, China’s prestige would plummet