虽然南中国海海域领土争端吸引了绝大部分注意力 — — 毕竟，它们威胁到海上航道安全和航行自由，从而影响到域外大国的利益 — — 但对跨国共享淡水资源争夺的战略影响同样是不可忽视的。
While territorial disputes, such as in the South China Sea, attract the most attention – after all, they threaten the safety of sea lanes and freedom of navigation, which affects outside powers as well – the strategic ramifications of competition over transnationally shared freshwater resources are just as ominous.