ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the role of the US and other countries which are not direct claimants in the SCS disputes. The role of the US, which basically demands freedom of navigation and overflight, is emphasized as some of the claimant states see it as the only naval power capable of balancing China. The chapter also examines the role of other neighboring naval powers – India, Australia, and Japan – especially for the fact that these countries have cooperated with the US on a security arrangement which is widely seen as a strategy to deal or contain the rise of China in the Indo-Pacific or the SCS. While the formation of Quad by these countries has the potential to bring stability in the region or even balance the rise of China, it still largely remains a dialogue forum than a security alliance.
