China and Vietnam: Managing Tensions in Troubled Waters

In spite of competing claims over the Spratly and Paracel Archipelagoes and maritime areas in the South China Sea, China and Vietnam have sought, with some degree of success, to manage their tensions through multi-level dialogues and bilateral agreements, even if differences continue to defy resolution of the dispute. This brief accordingly provides an overview of the disagreements and their management as well as points to measures that would contribute to increasing stability in what are troubled regional waters.