Rocks, reefs, and resolve? Examining the purpose of U.S. policy in the South China SeaThe following discussion was recorded on December 12, 2023 by Defense Priorities. Tensions have flared in the South China Sea over recent months. Various naval encounters, particularly between U.S. ally the Philippines and China, plus a close call between a U.S. military plane and a Chinese fighter jet, seem to indicate a deliberate decision by China to heighten tension. U.S. President Joe Biden has responded with an unequivocal statement that the United States will defend the Philippines in the event of an attack in these waters, calling the Mutual Defense Treaty “ironclad.” Is war coming? Are the uninhabited, contested rocks and reefs worth it? How can the United States most productively act to resolve tensions rather than elevate them? This event will examine these questions to evaluate what US interests are at stake in the South China Sea. Lyle Goldstein is director of the Asia Engagement program at Defense Priorities and a senior fellow at the Watson Institute at Brown University. Formerly, Lyle served as research professor at U.S. Naval War College for 20 years. |