While tensions continue to rise in the South China Sea, with steady military build-up by all sides, especially by China, a new pathway may be opening for peaceful resolution of the territorial disputes. The Arbitral Tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration will soon announce whether it has jurisdiction to rule on the Philippines’ case against China’s expansive maritime claims. China is expected to reject the court’s ruling, though it might eventually be compelled to soften its stance.