Written by Trang Pham
The arguments made by the Philippines and Vietnam about the legal status of maritime features in the South China Sea are in line with the 2016 PCA Award; on the other hand, China has denied such an analysis and has continued to assert itself in the littorals through sheer force of will.
Read MoreWritten by Anisa Heritage and Pak K Lee
The inherent contradictions between Trump’s America First strategy and the current calls for a coalition against China remain a sticking point. Trump has never attended an East Asia Summit, and his administration’s denigration of alliances has reduced American capacity to create a coalition of like-minded partners to support its position in the South China Sea.
Read MoreWritten by Mateusz Chatys
ASEAN's ineffectiveness in managing the South China Sea dispute was best demonstrated by events immediately after the summit. Following the videoconference, the Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) in Hainan announced naval manoeuvres near the Paracel Islands.
Read MoreWritten by Drake Long
The new US policy should be viewed as one more part of a coordinated effort across multiple governments to push back against China’s claims with similar diplomatic approaches and language, emphasising UNCLOS and the 2016 PCA award specifically.
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