What will it take to stop cycle of escalation in the South China Sea?

Author Michael Fuchs emphasizes the importance of the United States and China getting on the same page about militarization in order to avoid escalating tensions in the South China Sea.

Amid mounting regional concerns about Beijing’s assertive behavior in the South China Sea, President Xi Jinping stood with President Barack Obama last September in the White House Rose Garden and vowed that China would not militarize its newly constructed outposts in the Spratly Islands. But Xi was careful not to include Beijing’s Paracel Islands, in the north of the South China Sea.

China has now reportedly placed surface-to-air missiles on one of its Paracel outposts. While this act does not strictly contradict Xi’s commitment, it clearly violates its spirit.

The above excerpt was originally published in Reuters. Click here to view the full article.

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