Recent Trends in the South China Sea and U.S. Policy

Tensions in the South China Sea have continued to build over the last year, with the Philippines submitting its evidence against Chinese claims to an arbitration tribunal, Beijing parking an oil rig in waters claimed by Vietnam, and Malaysia growing increasingly anxious about Chinese displays of sovereignty at the disputed James Shoal. These and other developments underscore just how critical managing tensions in the South China Sea are, for the region and for the United States. Recent Trends in the South China Sea and U.S. Policy, informed by CSIS’s conference of the same name on July 10-11, 2014, offers an overview of the latest developments in this potential flashpoint and provides recommendations for the United States and its partners.