Just when the South China Sea seemed to have quietened down, two key players, China and the United States, have embarked on a series of provocative gestures. But the distrust between these major powers in the South China Sea inhibits their ability to deal with more serious issues in the region and the world at large.
In a speech in Sydney on December 14, 2016, Admiral Harry Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, fueled tensions by saying that the United States would continue its freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea to challenge China’s claims. Harris has previously worried the White House with blunt statements on China and the South China Sea. But with the White House now between administrations, Harris isn’t worried about any political concerns anymore and the incoming Trump administration might even welcome his provocations.
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/south-china-sea-dramas-distract-bigger-problems-between-18906