# @vicenews on YouTube

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://youtube.com/watch?v=4G4iGuWjTEY
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/66823228-vicenews-youtube
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/1c373423a9.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-06-09T18:28:31.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** VICE News (@vicenews) — https://gondola.cc/vicenews

## Caption

In this episode of VICE Inside, Shane Smith sits down with longtime VICE producer Alex Waterfield to revisit one of the most consequential stories VICE ever covered: China's militarization of the South China Sea.

From chartering a plane to document China's artificial islands to receiving warnings from Chinese forces, they discuss the reporting behind a documentary that explored one of the world's most dangerous geopolitical flashpoints.

Shane and Alex also reflect on the surprising aftermath of the film, including HBO's decision not to air the documentary, and what it revealed about China's growing influence around the world.

Along the way, they revisit other unforgettable stories from the region, from remote Bitcoin mining operations to the strange realities of reporting inside a rapidly changing superpower.

A conversation about journalism, great-power competition, and why many strategists believe the South China Sea could become the center of the next major global conflict.

#SouthChinaSea #China #Taiwan #Geopolitics #VICE #VICEInside #ShaneSmith #AlexWaterfield #Documentary #Journalism #WorldNews #ChinaNews #ForeignPolicy #Military #Bitcoin #InvestigativeJournalism #VICEStories #BehindTheScenes #ViceOnHBO

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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction 
03:37 Chartering a Plane to See China's Artificial Islands
06:34 Nearly Shot Out of the Sky by the Chinese Navy
11:40 Why HBO Pulled the Episode Over China Pressure
13:25 China's Taiwan Drills and the Lack of Consequences
15:36 Alex's Bitcoin Regret from a 2014 Chinese Mine
17:09 Rent a White Guy in China – Fake Doctors and Whiteface Jobs
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VICE Inside: Will World War III Start in the South China Sea? | ft. Alex Waterfield
https://www.youtube.com/@VICENews

## Stats

- **Views:** 288,047
- **Likes:** 5,609
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 790

## Tags

investigativejournalism, chinanews, journalism, geopolitics, taiwan, documentary, worldnews, vicestories, military, southchinasea, china, viceonhbo, alexwaterfield, behindthescenes, viceinside, bitcoin, shanesmith, vice, foreignpolicy

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