U.S.-China Relations and the South China Sea

China’s efforts to secure its claims in the Paracel Islands have raised fresh questions about the direction of U.S.-China relations. To many, recurring tensions between the two countries reflect a growing sense of strategic rivalry that must be carefully managed. In this podcast, former U.S. ambassador to China J. Stapleton Roy and Paul Haenle discuss the situation in the South China Sea and the broader implications for U.S.-China relations. Ambassador Roy noted that China’s policy on the South China Sea has been ambiguous on key issues, while also pointing out that China treats specific island chains differently. He stated that U.S. policymakers and observers therefore must be analytically nuanced about how to prudently wield the tools of diplomacy to address the concerns of both countries. Ambassador Roy advised that the United States and China would do well to agree on a code of conduct for the region, and he maintained that these disputes can be effectively settled. Read more at: http://carnegietsinghua.org/2016/03/27/former-ambassador-stapleton-roy-on-u.s.-china-relations/iwde