Why China Would Compromise in the Yellow Sea

Tensions are still high in the South China Sea, drawing a great deal of regional and international attention. But these Southeast Asian disputes are only part of the broader trend in the Pacific Rim. As China grows into a great power, it is pushing outward and disturbing the status quo across Asia. Because water defines the geopolitics of East Asia, Beijing's rise is impacting numerous maritime boundaries that had once held solid or had been ignored. One of these numerous disputes is between China and South Korea over a rock in the Yellow Sea known as Ieodo-Suyan. This has been a point of contention since 2006. But Beijing may now be willing to make a concession in order to further solidify its hold in the South China Sea....