Later this year an obscure international tribunal in The Hague will issue a decision about contested islands in the South China Sea.
For the Obama administration, the ruling will be a seminal moment in the fiercedisputes about the South China Sea — a test of China’s willingness to follow international law in its dealings with its neighbours.
The US also intends to use a summit next week with leaders from Southeast Asia to begin building diplomatic pressure on China over the case. President Barack Obama will encourage other countries in the region to urge Beijing to accept the ruling, which is expected to challenge some of China’s expansive claims.