This is a symbolic power move by China. It has the feel of Cold War-era propaganda, but let’s not dismiss it as simply playing games with maps. China is a rising military power with long-term ambitions to challenge the United States in the Pacific. Look at the South China Sea and you’ll find the Chinese have done more than monkey with place names: The People’s Liberation Army dredged sand to create islands with military installations in order to bolster claims of sovereignty over an expanse of ocean with crucial shipping lanes.