An International tribunal is set to give its ruling on China's claims in the South China Sea.  The Philippines brought the case before the tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which both countries have signed.

The problem is that China isn't expected to accept or comply with a ruling against it, and there are fears Beijing will react with more aggression.  China already has laid claims to 90 percent of the South China Sea, including reefs and inslands already claimed by other nations.  And the tribunal has no powers of enforcement.

China has been flexing its muscles in the area, conducting Navy exercises near the disputed Paracel islands which are also claimed by Vietnam.  The US has sent an aircraft carrier and fighter jets to the region to protect billions of dollars in shipping traffic that passes by the reclaimed reefs that China turned into military bases.

The ruling is expected later when Tuesday rollsaround to The Hague.