One could presume that in the event of any sort of aggressive war by a larger neighbor, smaller neighbors would be concerned. Much like how Russia's nearby East

One could presume that in the event of any sort of aggressive war by a larger neighbor, smaller neighbors would be concerned. Much like how Russia's nearby Eastern European nations (e.g. Poland) are right now. Do you really think Vietnam, the Philippines, etc. wouldn't be alarmed by the outbreak of war? The disruption to shipping alone would be a massive issue. You also completely sidestepped the issue of India, whose current government dislikes that of China.