So when hostilities do break out, everyone will know China did everything it could to prevent it.
Hogwash!
Lets see what wouldn't be recklessly: Forced into it by the U. S. Territorial waters breached Illegal listening going on U. S. was an aggressor and China couldn't take it anymore It's an interesting claim China and territorial waters in that area. We could pick an island there and play the same game. Hey, China came within our territorial waters too!
There won't be any hostilities...certainly not in the near term.
Hell, I'd bet that when the battle group does cruise through (close enough to see the hull numbers with the naked eye), they'll be downright courteous and turn off the fire control radars.
China has no substantial force in place there and very little ability to project sufficient force to deter or destroy a US Navy group.
In fact, we could build bigger and better islands .... do it as business ..... "Bob's Bigger Better Sandbars" .... challenge the Chinese to a dredging race, drive deep (as in, 600') transitways through the whole South China Platform for our nuclear submarines -- how do you like that, Chang?
We could make this fun and profitable, call in the hated Halliburton to build massive islands and quay complexes, BOQ's, PX's, regular big-ass naval bases like Subic and Roosie Roads. Really annoy the Chinese.
And totally counterfeit their claim to "own" the South China Sea, water column, wave tops, and all.
Go to hell, Chicoms.