The only photo you need to see to know that the US is serious about the South China Sea

Territorial claims from Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Taiwan, and China make the South China Sea one of the most disputed territories on the planet.

This contested region is home to $5 trillion in annual global trade, so the tit for tat over crumbs of land in the South China Sea isn't for nothing.

And while China claims the majority of the contested region, the US continues to patrol the area.

In a simple show of force, here's US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter flying in a V-22 Osprey over the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the South China Sea.

Reuters