When a US Navy destroyer sailed past the Spratly Islands in late October, much of Asia breathed a sigh of relief. The administration of President Barack Obama had put deed to the insistence of Ashton Carter, defence secretary, that the US “will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows”. A line had been drawn in China’s “Great Wall of Sand”, demonstrating US freedom to operate at will in the South China Sea.
Relief has since turned to puzzlement. As details have emerged, they have given rise to confusion over what the USS Lassen did and did not do. The US has been accused of sending mixed signals. And the administration’s wall of silence on the mission has not helped.
The US continues to express concern over Chinese intentions. Mr Obama said in Manila on Wednesday: “We agree on the need for bold steps to lower tensions, including pledging to halt further reclamation, new construction and militarisation of disputed areas in the South China Sea.” But the Lassen’s mission may in fact have strengthened Beijing’s legal hand by tacitly acknowledging a territorial sea around one of its new artificial islands.