Preserving a Rules-Based Order in the South China Sea (Andrew S. Erickson, CFR)

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague rejected critical aspects of Beijing's claims over waters in the South China Sea on Tuesday. The tribunal's findings uphold the need for a rules-based order to counter Chinese efforts to establish a modern-day sphere of influence, says the U.S. Naval War College's Andrew Erickson in a written interview. "It would be best for the [Asia-Pacific] region, and China's standing within it, if Beijing exercises restraint and respects the tribunal's ruling," says Erickson. For its part, the United States should carry out more robust freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) to protect international law and norms, he says.

http://www.cfr.org/international-law/preserving-rules-based-order-south-china-sea/p38127

The Pentagon's 2016 China Military Report: What You Need to Know (Andrew S. Erickson, The National Interest)

Friday’s Department of Defense (DoD) report to Congress on Chinese military and security developments is the last issued under the Obama Administration. Amid geopolitical uncertainty, it was a respectable final contribution. Nevertheless, it suffers from an unfortunate shortcoming. The Pentagon report rightly highlighted growing concern about Beijing’s mounting maritime coercion, but passed up a rare chance to connect it with a potent player flouting the rules of the game. China’s Maritime Militia, the irregular frontline sea force of “Little Blue Men” trolling for territorial claims, receives nary a mention. Like a trident with only one full-fledged prong, a report covering only one of China’s three major sea forces in depth—and ignoring one entirely—remains regrettably incomplete

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the-pentagons-2016-china-military-report-what-you-need-know-16209

(Istituto fondamentale - Global) Archaeology and the South China Sea (Andrew S. Erickson, Kevin Bond, The Diplomat)

http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/archaeology-and-the-south-china-sea/