Territorial confrontations in the South China Sea pitting several Asian nations against China have entered a perilous phase that could possibly lead to a war involving the U.S., experts say. China has claimed virtually all of the South China Sea for decades, but the country’s assertiveness in the region has steadily increased the past several years, resulting in heightened tensions with nations including the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Brunei. Krista Wiegand, a professor at the University of Tennessee, said the U.S. has no direct claims…
