If China controls the South China Sea, Sinkieland should more or less turn Jurong Island into a third 'Integrated Resort' to compete with Sentosa, Batam and Bintan. Forget about the petrochemical industry.
Who knows, maybe that'll appease the environmental crusaders who demonize fossil fuels and CO2 and are hell bent on 'saving' the planet. We've already put a partial ban on plastic straws.
By the way, the South China Sea never belonged to China: it's 南中国海 not 中国南海... there's a big difference.
So what can the rest of the claimants do to PRC? It the same as hitler send a cavalry battalion into Rhineland. If all the rest of the claimants can do is weak protest then lan lan SCS become under PRC.
Sometimes I wonder ethnic Chinese who are not PRC citizens yet strongly against the CCP is it due to PRC is a communist country. In that case, if China now not under CCP but under the ROC flag, then the territory claim is even bigger.
It pretty useless to claim territory when one do not have the mean to control, govern, develop and defend it.
When PRC was military and financially weak till the late 80s, none of the claimants make a dash for it from 1947 to 90s. Can only say none had any foresight.