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South China Sea Crisis Overview

1. The South China Sea is a contested region due to its strategic location for international trade routes and natural resources like petroleum and natural gas. China, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Vietnam all claim territories and islands in the region. 2. China bases its claims on historical ownership dating back to 1947 when a Chinese map included the Spratly and Paracel Islands. China has undertaken extensive land reclamation and construction of military bases on islands and reefs to strengthen its claims. 3. China's expansive claims over the South China Sea have caused tensions with other regional countries and the U.S. as it expands its influence and control without full legal basis under international

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17 views2 pages

South China Sea Crisis Overview

1. The South China Sea is a contested region due to its strategic location for international trade routes and natural resources like petroleum and natural gas. China, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Vietnam all claim territories and islands in the region. 2. China bases its claims on historical ownership dating back to 1947 when a Chinese map included the Spratly and Paracel Islands. China has undertaken extensive land reclamation and construction of military bases on islands and reefs to strengthen its claims. 3. China's expansive claims over the South China Sea have caused tensions with other regional countries and the U.S. as it expands its influence and control without full legal basis under international

Uploaded by

Callmecso MystShark
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1.

0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the South China Sea Crisis (2 marks)

The South China Sea rich with petroleum and natural gas content in the region that still
unexplored. It is also an international trade route. Because of this, the countries around the South China
Sea scramble to get an opportunity to improve their country's economy. Among the countries that
demand the South China Sea are China, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam
and Vietnam. The South China Sea consists of more than 150 small islands and coral reefs with some
of the islands are claimed and by the countries around the South China Sea.

The South China Sea area seen through the international ocean map is an area that has economic,
political and strategic values. Based on this values, the South China Sea area becomes a conflicted area
among countries primarily between United States of America and China. China expanded its military
power around the South China Sea without legal basis and received a strong protest from the Philippines
because of the United Nation Convention on the Law of The Sea (UNCLOS). Japan also supply military
equipment to the Philippines for enhancing their military power to hinder China hospitality.
Undoubtedly, any countries that own the South China Sea could dominate the international trade route
and rich with natural resources, which means allows them to disrupt trade shipments around countries
in the South China Sea.

1.2 The Chinas Claims and Justification (Explain brief) (2 marks)

The marine territorial dispute of South China refers to implying the full sovereign authority and
consent for the Spratly and Paracel islands beginning with the prosecution of the area by China in 1974
and 1992 (Goh, 2005). In 1947, China ruler issued a map that included Spratly islands, parcels and
prates in their sea sovereign territory. China released the map and built a military base in the archipelago.
This raises the anger of the ASEAN member states. Besides, China claim the South China Sea not
because it rich with natural resources but more to historical of China. China has built island on
uninhabited reefs and rock more than other nations and placed military equipment on the islands to
point out that they are firmly in the possession of the South China Sea. By owning this islands China
can expend their exclusive economic zone.

China has considered the South China Sea as its sovereign territory when it fully demands the
South China Sea in 2012. In addition, China always seeking and trying to expose the existing disunity
within the ASEAN member states. China use this opportunity to suppress the countries involved for
their interests and benefits. Moreover, the precautionary and evacuation measures between the
participating countries continue to increase from year to year that encourages the creation of low-scale
conflicts and have potential to become large-scale conflicts in the region. Besides, by using cabbage
strategy china can block other countries islands from receiving goods using their military boats.
(Lanteigne, 2016)
References
Goh, E. (2005). Meeting the China Challenge: The U.S. in Southeast Asian Regional Security
Strategies. Washington, D.C.: East-West Center.

Lanteigne, M. (2016). The South China Sea in Chinas Developing Maritime Strategy. In Truong-
Minh Vu, & E. Fels, Power politics in Asia`s contested waters (pp. 97-115). Springer, Cham.

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