CHINA-US rivalry in the South China sea is escalating due to the build-up of naval manoeuvres where vessels from both sides are sailing dangerously close to each other increasing the risk of a military clash. Conducting military drills in close proximity is also a cause for concern for Olli Pekka Suorsa, a Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Mr Suorsa said: “With both China and the United States deploying significant numbers of ships and military aircraft in close proximity with one another, the risk of collision is an ever-present danger.