By Lucio Blanco Pitlo III*
If recent developments are any indication, the South China Sea will remain an intense flashpoint for the rest of this year. Two things are especially worth following. First is the degree of importance China will assign to the South China Sea given its myriad domestic and foreign policy priorities. Second is how far neighboring littoral states will push back against Chinese actions and overtures in the contested sea and what tools they will be able to employ.
