The Sea That Would Explode

The South China Sea: an enclosed waterway of rich fishing grounds, rumoured energy resources and strategic islets. Coveted by several nations on the Pacific seaboard, it simmers with tension. When a Vietnamese fisherman is murdered by a Chinese naval patrol, it sparks off a chain of events that threaten to embroil the world’s superpowers in war.
Caught in the midst of the escalating tensions are three individuals of contrasting fortunes; Thao, a destitute and downtrodden Vietnamese fisherman willing to risk his boat and his crew for a life-changing payday; Kirsty, a bored and frustrated bureaucrat with the International Maritime Organization who seeks to use the South China Sea affair to kickstart her stalling career; and Jie, a raw Chinese naval recruit conflicted by his embedded patriotism and the reality that confronts him on the frontline of battle.
Each seeks to manipulate events towards a satisfying outcome, only to find the power of the individual undermined by the vested interests of politicians, big business and the media. All the while the fleets mobilize and China and America stand on the verge of war.