FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — 2012 has etched itself into the history books. During the last twelve months Southeast Asia regularly made global headlines largely due to competing territorial claims between China and various neighboring states.

Certainly, the result was not what China hoped for.

Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea and claims over the Spratly and Parcel Islands elevated the status of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the global diplomatic stage.

Read more in The Diplomat.