Any strategy must adapt to an adversary's strategy that is opposing yours. While it is difficult to assess what side is competing best when you look with a long view, the short view is not positive for the U.S.

http://warontherocks.com/2016/12/it-...uth-china-sea/

In seeking to minimize the risk of confrontation at every step, the United States and its allies have effectively ceded control of a highly strategic region and presided over a process of incremental capitulation. Bad precedents have been set, and poor messages have been transmitted to the global community. In parts of the Western Pacific, the allies are in danger of losing their long-held status as the security partners of choice.
http://www.atimes.com/chinas-militar...elligence-scs/

Harris announced that Chinese island-building had been completed and the next step was militarizing the islands – something he noted pointedly that Chinese supreme leader Xi Jinping had promised would not take place.
“China is clearly militarizing the South China Sea and you’d have to believe in the flat Earth to think otherwise,” Harris said. The buildup included the new surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island, new radars on the Cuarteron Reef, the 10,000-foot runway on Subi Reef, on Fiery Cross Reef and other places.
http://www.voanews.com/a/thailand-ex...s/3652487.html

During the talks, China accepted a Thai proposal to build a maintenance and production center for Chinese weapons in Thailand. Prawit also invited China to join Exercise Cobra Gold, a series of military exercises in Thailand that are led by the United States.
Despite the growing relationship with China, Thailand is now setting a more moderate course by building closer ties with major powers such as Japan and India and reconnecting with the United States. Bilateral relations with Bangkok's longstanding ally were downgraded amid Washington's pressure on Thailand over that country's fishing industry and human rights issues.
More to follow when I have time.