John Ciorciari, VOA: John Ciorciari, professor of research and policy engagement at the University of Michigan, said in an email to VOA Khmer that in the short term, China will likely act assertively to show that closer cooperation among South Korea, Japan and the U.S. is counterproductive, but in the long term, "the stronger trilateral cooperation is likely to induce more caution in Beijing."
"China is not likely to engage in dramatic military escalation, but it will probably take economic measures to punish South Korea and Japan. This could accelerate economic decoupling," Ciorciari said.
"China will likely continue pursuing its salami-slicing approach in the South China Sea, building steadily without escalating to major-power armed conflict," he added.