Whether the Donald Trump administration will order the US Navy to conduct more "freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea in the next few months will serve as a barometer for the international community to gauge the sincerity of the United States in not only continuing its good relations with China but also in maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

US media reports say the Pentagon is mulling more regular patrols in the South China Sea, perhaps two to three a month as proposed by the US Pacific Command, to emphasize the importance of "freedom of navigation" in the waters claimed by China.

Although the US Navy had been sailing freely around the world for decades, the Barack Obama administration started the controversial practice in the disputed waters of the South China Sea with the specific purpose of confronting China. The Obama administration approved four "freedom of navigation" operations in the disputed waters in the last year of his term, fueling tensions between the two countries. After Trump took office, the US has conducted three such operations.