China’s deployment of surface-to-air missiles on a disputed South China Sea island, at the very moment United States President Barack Obama is trying to buttress American influence in the region, underscores the growing risk of conflict among the Chinese, their neighbours and the US.

A day after Mr Obama gathered 10 leaders from South-east Asian countries for a summit meeting in California, a US official said the Pentagon had evidence China had placed missile batteries on an island that is part of an archipelago claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, as well as by China.

… “The critical point is that they are managing their bilateral relationship through direct lines of communication,” said Mr Barry Desker, a distinguished fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, who warned that there is still a risk of unintended incidents at sea.

“This is why one of the areas for priority action is agreement for rules on good order at sea, which would cover naval as well as coast guard vessels, in the South China Sea,” Mr Desker told TODAY. “This would include regular consultations, common communications and language procedures, agreements on managing incidents and the avoidance of dangerous behaviour.”