COLUMNS

In the South China Sea, Washington Tries to Balance Support and Entanglement

undefined and Director, Stratfor Center for Applied Geopolitics at RANE
Rodger Baker
Director, Stratfor Center for Applied Geopolitics at RANE, Stratfor

Jul 17, 2020 | 09:30 GMT

Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands on April 21, 2017.

Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands on April 21, 2017.

(TED ALJIBE/AFP via Getty Images)

Highlights

  • Washington continues to walk a delicate balance between supporting its allies and partners in the region and avoiding entanglement in regional territorial conflicts.
  • So long as U.S. policy remains largely reactive to China, rather than proactive in defining and shaping the region toward a particular goal, its behavior will remain difficult for partners and allies to anticipate.
  • Now that the State Department has issued a new position statement, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nation states will be watching closely to see just how far the words translate into action.

In the recently released U.S. Position on Maritime Claims in the South China Sea, Washington continues to walk a delicate balance between supporting its allies and partners in the region and avoiding entanglement in regional territorial conflicts. The test will come when the United States is called to act upon its more clearly articulated position on Chinese expansionist behavior....

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