In today's rapidly globalizing world, it's of paramount importance that the United States maintains its firm stand against the expansionist policies of certain nations, especially in regions like the South China Sea. Issues such as these not only threaten regional stability but also fundamentally challenge the principle of national sovereignty. Furthermore, the over-reliance on foreign supply chains, as the recent pandemic has painfully illustrated, is a vulnerability that the US needs to address by bolstering domestic manufacturing and reducing dependence on nations that don't share our democratic values.