Written communiques and diplomacy are enough for most countries to object to overly extensive maritime claims.

More opportunities for Washington to push back against Beijing in the South China Sea.

Do U.S. FONOPs actually serve a purpose?

China's move toward an undersea observation network appears to be progressing.

Once again, there was little productive discussion of the China factor at the latest ASEAN gathering.

By conducting FONOPs as innocent passage, the Obama administration tacitly acknowledged Chinese territorial seas.

The Ministry of Defense statement has worrying implications for China's ambitions in the South China Sea.

Defending China's "historic rights" in the South China Sea is integral to the Communist Party's political narrative.

Whether China cooperates or not, the ruling lets the United States correct earlier mistakes in ensuring navigational freedoms.

Beijing has moved to clarify its position, but in a direction that could cause more friction.

Taiwan and mainland China's similar positions on the South China Sea could provide the basis for a "2016 Consensus."

Beijing continues to push its South China Sea claims, though many were struck down by an arbitral tribunal today.

How China seeks to shape maritime law to legitimize its claims.

Only a handful of countries side with both Moscow and Beijing on their respective controversial territorial claims.

China could clarify what the nine-dash line means -- and reduce tensions -- without giving away any of its territorial claims.

Could a Chinese economic slowdown provide ASEAN leaders with some much-needed leverage?