Recent incidents involving Chinese ships in Southeast Asian waters are testing regional faith in Beijing's sincerity about maritime peace, and aiding a renewed U.S. push to build alliances with countries unnerved by China's assertiveness.
Chinese maneuvering in energy-rich stretches of the South China Sea, including a standoff in Vietnam's Exclusive Economic Zone, will figure on Friday when top diplomats of Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN attend a security gathering with world powers.
Among those is a United States that has laid out an "Indo-Pacific Strategy" challenging Chinese maritime hegemony and seeking stronger ties with nations pushing back against Beijing.