Seoul, April 21 -- China is now stepping up its game in the Yellow Sea by constructing a massive steel rig, following similar aggressive posturing in the South China Sea.

This development has become a fresh source of conflict between China and South Korea. The Eurasian Times reported that Korean ships attempted to examine the steel structure, leading to a recent standoff between the coast guards of the two nations.

According to diplomatic sources cited by South Korean news agency Yonhap, the two coast guards were at odds for two hours. The Eurasian Times reported that the altercation occurred on the afternoon of February 26 in the Provisional Maritime Zone (PMZ), close to Socotra Rock, southwest of Jeju Island in South Korea.

The PMZ i...