Tensions in the South China Sea continue at a slow boil, but most likely will ratchet up quickly after the international tribunal rules.

http://www.voanews.com/content/beiji...e/3318147.html

Beijing Warns Critics Over South China Sea Dispute

As China awaits an international arbitration ruling over its claims to almost all of the South China Sea, Beijing issued a warning Friday to its critics, stating that the more they challenge its position regarding disputed territories in one of the world’s busiest waterways, the more it will push back.
This remains to be seen,

"I think the U.K., Australia, and other Western countries are willing to stand firm on their principles on this matter. I am doubtful they will back China or even remain silent," Glaser said, adding that "China needs the U.K., Australia and other nations just as much as they need China."
The increasing military tension is well documented in the media and on this thread, less well know are the social movements pushing back against China's coercion, to include one in the South China Sea.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...ilebasic?pli=1

Peace Fleet: A Social Movement Approach to the South China Sea Dispute

KAI is part of the registered nonprofit group called Pilipino, and recently started a new international group called Sea Access by International Law (SAIL). KAI activists hope that SAIL will encourage students from Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Japan, as well as other international supporters, to join.

Given China’s disputes with South Korea, India, and the United States, these countries could provide activist recruits as well. China has occupied part of India in the Himalayas called Arunachal Pradesh, and provides political, diplomatic, and military support to North Korea, which regularly threatens South Korea, Japan, and the United States. China also threatens Japan’s Senkaku Islands.

A number of China-focused nonprofits are likely to enter into mutual support with KAI/SAIL, including Scholarism in Hong Kong, the Sunflower Movement in Taiwan, Human Rights in China, Liberty in North Korea, Students for a Free Tibet, Uyghur Human Rights Project, Arunachal Civil Society in India, and Crossing Borders.
As for China pushing back as they have promised to "continue" doing, we're now seeing more reporting, perhaps boosting, in the media on their fishing fleet militia.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-so...-idUSKCN0XS0RS

The training and support includes exercises at sea and requests to fishermen to gather information on foreign vessels, provincial government officials, regional diplomats and fishing company executives said in recent interviews.

"The maritime militia is expanding because of the country's need for it, and because of the desire of the fishermen to engage in national service, protecting our country's interests," said an advisor to the Hainan government who did not want to be named.
China continues to demonstrate that it is a bully that is unwilling to operate within international law and norms. It is clear that China's economic rise is not accompanied by political maturity or a willingness to contribute to regional stability. China doesn't provide credible support to nations in the region when there is a natural disaster, although they have the means to do. China is destroying the environment, and it is probably impossible to estimate the impact of destroying the reef in the South China Sea, and the associated loss of viable fishing areas in the most populous area in the world on food security. This doesn't even address their use of economic, paramilitary, and military coercion in the region, and no doubt they will behave this way beyond the region if the global community doesn't push back.

We can make hard choices now, or harder choices later.