Water Wars
Water Wars: Hedging Bets in the South China Sea
Chris Mirasola Fri, Jan 20, 2017, 8:30 AM
Abe's South China Sea Charm Offensive
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This past week was the quietest in terms of breaking news since Water Wars began nearly five months ago—somewhat surprising, given that only last week the USS Curtis Wilbur conducted a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) in the Paracel Islands. All signs point to an upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, which will take place February 15-16, as the most likely cause of the relative calm.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spent much of this week in Laos, Cambodia, and China in an effort to pressure Beijing to change course in the South China Sea. Returning to Washington on Wednesday, Secretary Kerry could boast of, at best, mixed results.