James T. Areddy, in the China Real Time section of The Wall Street Journal, reported that Admiral Scott Swift the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet said that international mediation was the best way to reduce tension over the disputed islands in the South China Sea
Admiral Swift made his comments during his first-ever visit to China on a relationship-building tour to meet his counterparts with the People’s Liberation Army Navy.
According to Admiral Swift, the lack of transparency in the territorial claims by China, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines regarding the disputed islands is leading to confusion on the legal basis of the claims. This confusion would be best settled with the help of an international body, such as a United Nation-backed tribunal.