The conditions for a direct military confrontation between Washington and Beijing over the South China sea ripe. Never before have the countries been as close to war as in recent years says NewsweekNewsweek counts the beginning of worsening relations between the US and China over the South China Sea (SCS) from the death of a Chinese pilot who died in a collision with an American reconnaissance aircraft 15 years ago. It’s not surprising that in May, in approximately the same place, when two Chinese fighters nearly collided with a reconnaissance aircraft, the Chinese were reminded of the events of a decade and a half ago.“Most Chinese hope that the next time a Chinese pilot shoots down the spy plane,” was written after this incident, in the CCP’s official English mouthpiece, The Global Times.Newsweek claims that many high-ranking Chinese officials have long considered that war between China and America is inevitable. New rising power always comes into conflict with the old dominant power, which is suspicious of the strengthening of the new.This is the situation that now exists in the relationship between the US and China in the Pacific region in general and especially in the South China sea, a strategically important body of water through which passes 5 trillion dollars annually of goods and commodities and which, moreover, is rich in minerals. China claims almost 80% of the waters of the South China sea.The USA are thousands of miles from the sea, one of the “hottest” regions of the planet, and for that reason they are unable to stake territorial claims. Instead, they support other states in the region, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines, in their territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea. In addition, in recent months they have sent an increasing number of American warships and planes on patrol in the South China sea, and explain this by citing the need to protect trade routes.