Despite the resumption of talks between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China over the still-unrealized South China Sea code of conduct, fundamental differences suggest the long-standing deadlock will persist, driving claimants to accelerate regional militarization. On March 10, China and ASEAN concluded the latest round of negotiations to produce the long-sought-after code of conduct governing claimant states' behavior in disputed territories of the South China Sea. As expected, the meeting did not yield much progress. The main result, which was primarily symbolic, was an agreement to "attempt" to establish a security hotline between ASEAN and China at some point in 2023 -- a measure agreed upon in 2016 but never implemented -- to reduce the likelihood of escalation in the event of maritime standoffs or accidental collisions. Most consequentially, China and ASEAN did not discuss whether the code of conduct will be legally binding (which ASEAN insists...
