Asia fears sea disputes may end in military conflict – study

WASHINGTON: China’s neighbors are increasingly anxious that Beijing’s maritime disputes with countries like Vietnam and the Philippines will lead to military conflict, a US research group said in findings released on Monday.

Even in China itself, polling showed that 62 percent of the public worried that territorial disputes between China and its neighbors could lead to an armed conflict, according to a broad study conducted in 44 countries by the Pew Research Center.