shoal

Calm captains of the ship of state struggle to navigate the world system’s waves and shoals.

The shoal, claimed by China as Xianbin Jiao and as Escoda Shoal by the Philippines, is located some 75 nautical miles from the Philippines' west coast and 630 nautical miles from China.

The shoal, which is less than 200 nautical miles from the Philippine coastline, is home to a crumbling warship, the Sierra Madre.

Confrontations between Chinese and Philippine government ships over two disputed shoals have flared alarmingly since last year, causing collisions.

China effectively seized the shoal in 2012 after a standoff that ended when Philippine government ships withdrew based on what Manila said was a deal brokered by American officials to ease the dangerous confrontation.