Disputes over small island groups are common. China is certainly not the only country in the region or larger world playing the disputed Island game. Japan is now disputing Taiwan over a small group of Island both nations use as fishing grounds. England and Argentina still dispute ownership of the Falkland Islands, Turkey and Greece now dispute ownership of some oil rich Islands, Israel has no real claim to West Bank and the majority off offshore gas they are trying to claim and develop, as such disputes are common all over the world.
And I am old enough to remember, during the Nixon Kennedy election debates of 1960, that Nixon wanting to fight Chine over the tiny Islands of Kemoy and Matsu, while Kennedy said, its not worth making an issue over them.
But in terms of any South East China island groups disputes, we in the West may not properly understand the " inscrutably mind of the oriental" for the lack of a better term. As we in the west think in terms immediate control and on a short term basis of no more than five or 10 years. And our national games reflect that. As the Europeans play one version of football and the Americans play another. And the Chinese play go. And go is a game of long term control without direct short term confrontation. For example, when the Brits 99 lease of Singapore expired, the Chinese got Singapore back. But rather than rush back in, the Chinese mainly let Singapore continue to retain its own capitalistic conduct. In terms of Taiwan, China does want it back, but would rather get it back on a voluntary basis. And if China can CONTROL most of the trade and resources of East Asia, in future Taiwan may well rejoin China for mutual benefit.