What the Chinese have done, I would suggest, is engage in what is often called " salami tactics," that you take over slice by slice, bit by bit, so that you acquire territory, even though they may appear to be inconsequential islets or cays, just below the level of outright provocation, on the assumption that no one will come to the rescue of Hanoi or Manila, for example, if various islets or atolls are taken.
La Chine semble appliquer la méthode du salami, pour acquérir des territoires tranche par tranche, un îlot à la fois, même s'il semble sans importance, sans dépasser la provocation pure, en supposant que personne ne viendra à la rescousse d'Hanoï ou de Manille, par exemple, si elle s'empare de divers îlots ou atolls.
