Tensions have flared in the South China Sea over recent months. Various naval encounters, particularly between U.S. ally the Philippines and China, plus a close call between a U.S. military plane and a Chinese fighter jet, seem to indicate a deliberate decision by China to heighten tension. U.S. President Joe Biden has responded with an unequivocal statement that the United States will defend the Philippines in the event of an attack in these waters, calling the Mutual Defense Treaty “ironclad.” Is war coming? Are the uninhabited, contested rocks and reefs worth it? How can the United States most productively act to resolve tensions rather than elevate them? This event will examine these questions to evaluate what US interests are at stake in the South China Sea.