For decades, Beijing has sought to co-opt and lure its Southeast Asian neighbors into acquiescence with its maritime expansion through a package of economic incentives, military intimidation and a diplomatic charm offensive.
But now major regional countries have begun to assert their sovereign rights with greater resolve. In the past three months alone, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam have challenged China's expansive maritime claims and coercive intrusion into their waters -- with significant effects on the geopolitical balance of power.
