In light of China’s deployment of a mega oilrig in waters that Vietnam considers part of its Exclusive Economic Zone, Carlyle A. Thayer analyses what amounts to an unexpected provocation of Vietnam by China.

China supports international norms and abides by international law; however, it is also justified in advancing legitimate sovereign interests. As in the case of the US during the Cold War, when armed forces were deployed on Taiwan or when the US instituted an ADIZ, it is appropriate for China to promote international law unless sovereign interests are at stake.

China has never regarded the South China Sea in its totality as China's territorial waters. Nor will China seek to turn the South China Sea into a "Chinese lake", writes Wu Shicun.

Over the past decade, expectations have risen that India would be the next country to join the ranks of the world’s leading economic and strategic powers. However, despite Delhi’s reluctance to serve as a counter-balance to Beijing, there is little doubt that China-India-U.S. relations will be a major feature of international affairs in the coming years.

The dispute over territory in the South China Sea has become a flashpoint for Asian regional politics. China’s policy has used both big and small-stick diplomacy to assert its claim to the region. In doing so, it has formed a new normality for the region.

In his first trip abroad, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited India to downplay tensions over a recent border dispute and focus on bridging economic ties between the two countries. As Brahma Chellaney explains, India has a long way to go toward advancing its own strategic interests and taking an assertive role in regional politics.

Recent tensions along the border of India and China have led some experts to speculate whether the build-up of troops could lead to a repetition of the Sino-Indian border war of 1962. However, as Donald Kirk explains, the latest incident is more about asserting Chinese influence in the region rather than preparing for a military assault.

In the South China Sea it is essential to avoid future confrontation, not only for bilateral relations but also for the stability in the region. It is also necessary to move both bilateral and regional conflict management process forward.

Japan must finally admit that the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands are disputed, says Ren Xiao. Washington has a responsibility to urge Tokyo to do so. Only on that basis can the two sides try to soften the tension and prevent from any military conflict.

As tensions in the South China Sea continue to rise, the United States must carefully navigate regional tensions to ensure the current dispute between China and Vietnam does not encourage reckless behavior, but rather promotes peaceful dispute resolution.