NewsTracker Answers for week of Feb. 22, 2016

Q: The United States and China are accusing each other of militarizing the territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The U.S. reported last week that China had installed surface-to-air missiles on one disputed island. Where is the South China Sea?

Circle the area on this map

Q: Later last week, China accused the U.S. of militarizing the situation with patrols by military aircraft and Navy vessels. Which of these nations is NOT in a dispute with China over ownership of tiny islands in the South China Sea?

A. Brunei

B. Japan

C. Philippines

D. Vietnam

B. Japan has had its own dispute with China over some uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, but the island nation does not border the South China Sea. The disputed islets in the South China Sea are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.

Q: Why is the dispute over some mostly uninhabited rocks in the South China Sea so important?

A. Gas

B. Oil

C. Trade

D. All of the above

D. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes every year and which is believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas.

Q: In recent decades, Chinese forces have killed troops from which nation in fighting over the islands?

A. Brunei

B. Malaysia

C. Vietnam

D. United States

C. In 1974 the Chinese seized one group from of islands from Vietnam, killing more than 70 Vietnamese troops. In 1988 the two sides clashed over another group of islands, with Vietnam again coming off worse, losing about 60 sailors.

Q: Various territorial claims have brought China into conflict with some of its biggest trading partners. Which nation is its largest trade partner?

A. United States

B. Japan

C. Russia

D. Taiwan

A. In 2013, China's trade with the United States totaled $512 billion. It was more than $312 billion with Japan, $197 billion with Taiwan and $89 billion with Russia.