Is the contentious situation in the South China Sea a preamble to World War III?

There are a number of countries who have laid claims to various islands or parts of islands in the China South Sea. As far as I know the countries directly involved in this dispute are China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. However, the U.S. has also involved itself (albeit indirectly), by sending military ships and planes out near the disputed territories.

At this point, China makes the most expansive claim and has been engaged in island building and sending out naval patrols of its own.

The U.S. and China accuse each other of militarizing the South China Sea… But the U.S. calls their military movements in the area “freedom of navigation” operations to ensure access to key shipping and air routes.

There has already been armed conflict between Vietnam and China over this disagreement (though that was decades ago, now), however as recently as 2012 China and the Philippines engaged in a lengthy maritime stand-off, accusing each other of intrusions on the uninhabited islands.

In 2013, the Philippines announced they would take China to an arbitration tribunal under the auspices of the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea, to challenge its claims… And in 2016, the tribunal backed the Philippines’ case. However, China had boycotted the proceedings, and called the ruling “ill-founded”. China says it will not be bound by this ruling.

So what do you think? Is there a potentially catastrophic situation developing in the South China Sea? What do you think of the U.S. and China “militarizing” the area…? Is a peaceful resolution to this situation possible?