This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam. Vietnam and China have tried, with some success, to iron out their differences through high-level talks, but far more needs to be done to avert another dramatic and detrimental maritime incident as the world saw play out with the 2014 drilling rig crisis.

China's rig HYSY 981 can be considered part of China’s Maritime Silk Road strategy – an attempt to strengthen relationships with ASEAN nations through economic opportunity. But as HYSY 981’s deployment drew controversy in the past, it should instead focus on resource development in less controversial waters for the time being.

The recent State of the Union speech by President Obama didn’t underscore the critical importance of strengthened U.S. – Asia cooperation and engagement. Curtis Chin suggests that Obama could have more clearly clarified the Pivot to Asia, security issues in the South China Sea, and that increasingly America’s security and prosperity is linked to China and Asia.

The U.S. State Department released a study of China’s “nine-dash line” in December, analyzing the legal basis in maritime law. Sourabh Gupta critiques this analysis, stating that as long as China limits these activities to traditional fishing - not resource development or marine scientific research – and exercises them on a non-exclusive basis, the nine-dash line as a perimeter of China’s is not inconsistent with international law.

A recent thought-provoking article in The Diplomat by Liang Tuang Nah titled “Joining Forces in South China Sea Defense Procurement” made some salient observa

Haiyang Shiyou 981 (HYSY 981) is a state-of-the-art, semi-submersible oil platform – the first of its kind for the China National Offshore Oil Corporation. Zheng Wang and Andrew Ludwig explore the HYSY 981 and discuss whether it will enhance political cooperation or fuel greater tensions in the South China Sea.

Only by getting to know China in an entirely new light, can the US formulate a sensible China policy and produce a win-win situation for both China and the US in the South China Sea, writes Wu Zurong.

China’s rising power and capabilities make PRC actions in the South China Sea more consequential and unsettling than those of others, so they deserve particular attention but need to be evaluated in the broader context of the motives and actions of others as well.

While the United States continues to try and resolve disputes in the South China Sea to protect the security of established sea routes and ports, China finds the situation to be stable. Dismissing any alleged tensions, China claims that it and ASEAN do not need U.S. interference to help rectify the so-called dispute.

On the chessboard of the South China Sea, spectators have turned into players and the game is expanding, writes Zhai Kun.