China appears to be increasingly uncomfortable with the growing chorus reproving Chinese activities in the South China Sea. Beijing’s agreement to establish hotlines and quicken the pace of CoC discussions suggests that the Chinese recognize that their behavior is causing greater anxiety amongst their neighbors than they anticipated. So far, however, the pushback has not been sufficient to change China’s calculus, which is that in the long term, Southeast Asian nations will be compelled to accommodate to Chinese interests in the South China Sea. Therefore, greater efforts are needed to persuade China to adopt a more compromising approach that truly emphasizes peaceful management of disputes and respects the interests of all the players regardless of size and military capabilities. To achieve this goal, ASEAN must demand conclusion of a binding CoC before the end of 2015 that contains risk-reduction measures and a dispute settlement mechanism. If China is unwilling to do so, ASEAN, or a sub-group of like-minded members, should proceed unilaterally. The US should do its utmost to help forge this consensus.Sea.