Renewed Tension in the South China Sea

After months of signaling intent, the United States has finally made good on its promise to conduct a freedom of navigation patrol through the South China Sea. To little fanfare, the guided missile destroyer USS Lassen transited the area Tuesday, sailing within 12 nautical miles of at least two Chinese-occupied reefs. With this minor action, Washington has concretely demonstrated that it rejects Beijing's claim that the occupied reefs mark Chinese territorial waters....