China is normalising its military presence in the Indo-Pacific Region

What is “normalizing” supposed to mean within the context of a nation that borders this region and does immense amounts of naval trade through it?

This is another example of China’s familiar tactic of salami slicing, seen also, for example, in its progressive attempts at dominating the South China Sea

Again - the South China Sea - why do you think they call it that?

Also, who has historically dominated the area? And why is this regional hegemon so incapable of playing nicely with it’s neighbors?