By Thuc D. Pham
The U.S. needs to get proactive and expand the scope of activities with new partners like Vietnam.
A handful of Democrats and Republicans have expressed an interest in running for their party’s 2016 presidential nomination while others are considering. Whoever is elected as the next president of the United States, he/she should place higher priority on the South China Sea (SCS). Why?
First, the SCS has emerged as a central aspect (PDF) of regional geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific. The issue has been high on agenda of both track I and track II diplomacy, from day-to-day discussions to regional strategic calculations and beyond. It encompasses both traditional and non-traditional security issues, and engages major players in Indo-Pacific, including the U.S., China, India, Japan, ASEAN, and its member states. More importantly, the SCS is widely seen as a litmus test (PDF) of Beijing’s strategic intentions and actions, and of Washington’s resolve.
Read the full story at The Diplomat