Philippines and Vietnam's South China Sea strategies have failed

Philippines and Vietnam's South China Sea strategies have failed

The Philippines and Vietnam have contrasting approaches to deterring Beijing's actions in the South China Sea. Manila has implemented what has become known as "assertive transparency" to expose bad Chinese behavior, while Hanoi uses "opacity" -- a quiet agreement with China not to publicize any of their clashes in the region. Both strategies are outdated, writes Derek Grossman.
 
For Manila, shaming Beijing in front of the world has been effective at convincing neighbors like Australia and Japan to work more closely with the Philippines on the problem. But Grossman says it has been entirely ineffective at changing Chinese behavior because Xi Jinping has already embraced the bad guy role.
 
For Hanoi, quiet diplomacy also fails because it once again, wrongly, presumes Beijing cares that if video or word gets out about its assertiveness, then that would somehow harm Chinese interests.