And ... ?

This CFR post lists 5 reasons why the new year will be more dangerous in regard to the South China Sea dispute. But the author leaves out the biggest reason the new year could be very dangerous, indeed.

Without that last, ignored, reason, the others would merely raise 2013 to the level of "interesting times." With Chinese government-sanctioned piracy about to begin, sparks will be plentiful in the South China Sea.

Oh, here's a spark:

China has warned Vietnam to stop “unilateral oil and gas exploration” in disputed areas of the South China Sea, as the two countries' long-standing maritime dispute continues to heat up.

Oil and sparks. And China is playing with fire.