Getting beyond slow boil in the South China Sea

Abstract

In recent years, the South China Sea appears to be on a ‘slow boil.’ Tensions simmer and occasionally bubble up, creating turbulence before the waters return to a more gentle bubble. What strategy is being pursued by the most powerful party to the South China Sea dispute? What is the best way forward for this chronic flashpoint? This chapter offers an overview of the power play in the South China Sea and sketches out an overall approach to dispute management in the region.