Publication

This bulletin discusses the implications of Chinese maritime actions in the East and South China Seas on its relationship with its partners in the region. The paper contends that the increasingly competitive behavior of China during 2012 further complicates US efforts to fashion maritime-security coalitions and partnerships in the Asia-Pacific. By resisting the temptation to overreact, taking a stand on excessive maritime claims, reconciling its interest in freedom of navigation with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and continuing its rebalancing to Asia, the United States could stem the repercussions from China’s assertive maritime behavior, the author argues.