The South China Sea Boundary Dispute Threatens To Upend The Regional Order In Asia

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Straits Times: South China Sea dispute: New testing ground for Asia's regional order

On Tuesday, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague will be issuing its ruling, which is legally binding, on the arbitration initiated by the Philippines against China over the latter's expansive claims in the South China Sea. The Sunday Times takes a look at the case, views and responses of direct and indirect players involved in it, and how the ruling - expected to largely favour the Philippines - might affect the region.

The arbitral tribunal ruling on Tuesday on the case against China's claims in the South China Sea brought by the Philippines looks set to increase tension in the region - not least because it has become the new testing ground for Asia's regional order, say analysts.

It has also brought to the fore the rivalry between the United States and China, with Washington putting pressure on Beijing to recognise the ruling although Beijing has refused to take part in the arbitration and has said it will not accept the verdict.

US lawmaker Randy Forbes was quoted by the Associated Press as remarking on Thursday that the world is watching whether China behaves as a responsible stakeholder in the international system and, if not, to see how the US responds.

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WNU Editor: The damage has already been done .... and for China its relations with its neighbours are going to be impacted for decades to come .... China's peripheral diplomacy disaster (Richard Javad Heydarian, Al Jazeera)