Publication

This bulletin reviews 1) the positions China and ASEAN states have towards the US’ involvement in the South China Sea (SCS) region, and 2) recent efforts to manage the area’s disputes. As the text’s author sees it, both China and the US have demonstrated that they are willing to balance their respective national interests in the SCS, but the current uncertainty over the Trump administration’s interest in the region, which includes worries over a recent uptick in the US’ naval presence, could upset the balanced approach taken in the past.