Figure 4 shows the overlapping sovereignty claims in the SCS, with Chinas claims according to the 9 dash line doctrine in red. In addition to fishing grounds, the South China Sea contains an abundance of energy resources, . Currently, President Xi Jinping makes frequent references to Chinas possession of the South China Sea since ancient times an assertion that lacks any validity historically or legally. Meanwhile, Japan is providing ten new multi-role vessels to the Philippine Coast Guard; Manila is also interested in procuring used P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Tokyo. More and more, we see a particularly aggressive maritime stance from China towards NATO warships when exercising freedom of navigation through the SCS. Abstract. Shortly after the ARF concluded, an official spokesman for the Chinese Defense Ministry asserted Chinas indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea. That grouping came under Chinese control an event that went almost entirely unnoticed in the wider world as the drama marking the end of the Vietnam War played out. The lifting of the arms embargo also opens the door to other forms of U.S.-Vietnam security cooperation. The Korean War produced formal defense treaties with each of these countries plus a new, permanent military presence in South Korea. 1994 The Convention on the Law of the Sea goes into effect. If China can exert complete control over the region, using predominantly the maritime domain, it can build a significant strategic sphere of influence and power. In my mind, this leads to 3 key questions to base any form of analysis from: In order to understand the contention of the South China Sea and its significance, it is firstly imperative to understand the geopolitical importance of Asia, which has given rise to Chinese pre-eminence; enabling its rise to contemporary major political power on the global stage. Strategic Landscape of the South China Sea: While geopolitics indicates geographical relations with politics, there is another importance which is strategic. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and. Peace Corps celebrates spirit of volunteerism, A distinctive sign language thrives among Black Americans, U.S. rescuers stand ready to find earthquake survivors, People across U.S. rush to aid Trkiye, Syria, Blinken pledges continued U.S. support for Trkiye, Syria, Meet the U.S. search teams who helped save lives in Trkiye, Fighting tropical diseases in the Pacific Islands, U.S. partners assist the Syrian people after earthquake, U.S. welcomes Indian students in record numbers, Indian American CEOs exemplify countries shared ambitions, The latest medical gadgets at U.S. tech show, Helping women in Vietnam become academic leaders, Ukraine: Before and after February 24, 2022, Russias re-education camps hold thousands of Ukraines children, report says. Beyond that, there are a variety of formal security cooperation agreements with Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. In particular, shifting explanations for how the United States will manage Chinas rising power and influencealong with the military-heavy implementation of the rebalancehave exacerbated suspicions that Washington seeks to contain Beijings rise. This button displays the currently selected search type. The isolationist China has never traditionally had a deep water navy, with a significant power projection capability; however the production of its first aircraft carrier (Liaoning) has been a noteworthy change from a soft power in the land environment to a hard power projection at sea stance. In short, adopting a more robust deterrence approach need not prevent cooperation that is in the interests of both countries. Any temptation to alter U.S. policies in the South China Sea to preserve cooperation with China in other areas is unnecessary and potentially counterproductive. by M A Hossain 3 March 2023 The geostrategic significance of Bangladesh derives from its strategic location at the crossroads of South and Southeast Asia, endowing it with a pivotal role in the re Ownership claims to them are used to bolster claims to the surrounding sea and its resources. Narendra Modis Act East policy has resulted in an acceleration of burgeoning India-ASEAN ties and Indias position on the South China Sea territorial disputes essentially mirrors that of the United States. It is unlikely that any states in the region possess the wealth and power to oppose this, although there is always a realistic possibility that they may receive backing from the USA if it is in their interests. In a meeting attended by the foreign ministers of 26 nations from the broader region, Clinton simply asserted that the South China Sea was subject to multiple territorial claims and a multinational mechanism should be established to find a peaceful diplomatic solution. economic importance associated with the ocean is tremendous and manifold. China has shown the most considerable increase in projection of power from all the states surrounding the SCS. Chinas rising military power and political influence is generating anxiety and suspicion among some of its neighbours and western powers. Less sexy but no less important is a forthcoming arrangement by which Vietnam will allow the United States military to preposition supplies and equipment in Da Nang on the central coast. Under President Xi Jinping, Beijing has undertaken more assertive policies that have greatly improved Beijings position in the South China Sea. Read more, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NWWashington, DC 20004-3027, 2023 The Wilson Center. These factors combined give a strategic importance to the South China Sea that has led to numerous states Brunei, the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam each pressing their own claims to . Report A U.S. Navy crewman aboard a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft views a computer screen purportedly showing Chinese construction on the reclaimed land of Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea in this still image from video provided by the United States Navy May 21, 2015. Follow the Asia Program on Twitter @AsiaProgram. Nevertheless, Beijing had taken its first overt step to control the South China Sea. 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Total fish stocks have been depleted by 70 to 95 percent since the 1950s. While consistency in U.S. messaging and policy execution is important, it should be balanced by carefully calculated unpredictability in operations and tactics to prevent Beijing from becoming overly confident in its ability to anticipate U.S. reactions. Not only Vietnam is the strongest opponent of the Chinese nine-dash line claim in the region, Vietnam's sustained economic growth has pushed it to emerge as an important player in the South East Asia, which China perceives is not in its interests. Thats why the United States has urged countries to resolve maritime claim disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law. Aung San Suu Kyi has no interest in antagonizing Chinawhich shares a border with Burma and is a major source of foreign investmentbut nor can she afford to alienate the United States or India. In sum, the United States has built and maintained a dense network of security links and obligations throughout East and Southeast Asia all sustained by regular contact with the Seventh Fleet as it transits the region via the South China Sea. The United States can stand firm on its principles and deter China from undermining the regional order while maintaining a productive relationship. These same sea-lanes are a vital military artery as the U.S. The South China Sea is a core interest of both Vietnam and China. Yet, due to Turkey's strategic importance, the US cannot afford to affront Mr. Erdogan, who carries a peculiar . Any such assertion must rest on an understanding that critical U.S. national interests, including both economic and security interests, are at stake and at risk. It is the geostrategic importance that is usually the main reason for the parties to strengthen their claim over the Spratlys and the Paracels. The Chinese recently built an island in the South China Sea, apparently as a potential airbase. China, for example, has asserted a maritime claim to a large majority of the South China Sea that is not consistent with international law. But the South China Sea has been dangerously overfished. The message will be clear; the era of American international leadership and predominance is over and a new preeminent power has taken its place. Inconsistent messaging and policiesincluding on freedom of navigation and routine presence operationshave also led to confusion in the region. Improved governance will lead to stronger economies over the long term and dampen the influence of Chinese dirty money. The South China Sea is one of the most important economic and environmental regions in the world. In addition, tensions have been raised with the Philippines after assertive Chinese naval patrols which they described as aggressive action. Giving ground on vital interests in Asia will not encourage greater cooperation on global issues. That included nearly 40 percent of Chinas total trade and 90 percent of petroleum imports by China, Japan, and South Korea and nearly 6 percent of total U.S. trade. The China - Solomon Islands security agreement and the competition in the South China Sea. Figure 3 highlights the influenced areas. The islands are important, however, for strategic and political reasons. All Rights Reserved. Sign up to receive ShareAmerica updates. When it comes to trade, investment and infrastructure development, China should not be the only game in town. US still mired in a 'Cold War' mindset, but the tide's turning, The West is misreading Chinas Party Congress at the peril of world stability, Can Foreign Investors still have Good Reasons to be Optimistic about China? The growing size and capability of the Chinese air force, navy, and coast guard allow Beijing to consistently monitor and exercise de facto control over most of the South China Sea. As maritime security such as safety and freedom of . Moving forward, freedom of navigation and routine presence operations should be executed on a regular basis to demonstrate U.S. resolve to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows. The three core areas that must be defended and secured are the Malay Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak. Vietnam's coastline bordering the South China Sea is over 3,000 kilometers long. In the contemporary era, Taiwan remains geographically at the intersection of most of East Asia's danger points. China is already providing indications of how it might act when it controls the South China Sea. The South China Sea, or South East Asian Sea, is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean.It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luzon, Mindoro and Palawan), and in the south by Borneo, eastern Sumatra and the Bangka Belitung Islands . Navy P-8s are now regularly deploying to Singapore and, although without regular access, they have conducted patrols from Malaysia as well. It was the first time that had ever occurred. In particular Chinas maritime law enforcement in the disputed islands and waters has disrupted regional stability; causing tensions between Vietnam after a clash between Chinese patrol boats and Vietnamese oil exploration vessels. The United States has formally objected to Chinas South China Sea maritime claims. As building of military facilities continued in 2015, the US explicitly announced its opposition to these constructions and tasked surveillance assets to conduct over flights in the SCS and significantly raised tensions. and Amy Searight. A third of the world's shipping passes through it, its fisheries are critical sources of food for millions of people. f) . 2023 Center for Strategic & International Studies. Even if Beijings island-building campaign succeeds in turning the South China Sea into a Chinese lake, it will be one in which Chinese forces are constantly monitored and from which they can only depart with implicit American acquiescence. Australia and Vietnam established a Comprehensive Partnership in 2009 and agreed to expand it in 2015. The end of the Cold War found East Asia and the Western Pacific strategically quiescent. It is a rich source of hydrocarbons and natural resources. The United States has been less successful in supporting local partners as they resist Chinese coercion. The strategic value of the alliance remains high, according to theCongressional Research Service: *** U.S. US and China is engaging in this sea to control all significance. Select Accept to consent or Reject to decline non-essential cookies for this use. U.S. policy in the South China Sea has been overly reliant on military options, which may not always be the most effective response. The sea-lanes that pass through the South China Sea are the busiest, most important, maritime waterways in the world. The United States calls this treaty the Law of the Sea Convention.. Last year, the construction projects covered 72 acres. Many of these countries suffer from corruption and lack for effective rule of law. To understand the statement we have to have a particular knowledge over the issue and have to look over the geopolitical and strategic importance of South China Sea. The risk to Chinese power projection lies predominantly with US interests. The strategic importance of the SCS is mainly due to its geographical location, as the area is one of the world's busiest and most strategic shipping lanes. U.S. allies and partners in the region are drawing lessons from Chinese coercive behavior and the limited U.S. response to it, and some are beginning to doubt U.S. resolve and adjust their foreign policies in response. Brunei's statement seems to present a unified front with the Philippines and Vietnam, in preparation for its ASEAN chairmanship in 2021, where ASEAN and China hope to finalise the formulation of the code of conduct to reduce tensions in the South China Sea. Check out the linked article on the Belt and road initiative now. Generally, oil and minerals move north, and food and manufactured goods move south. More than 50% of world trade passes through the Strait of Malacca, the Sunda Strait and Lombok Strait over the islands and waters of the South China Sea. Chinas significant increase in spending and capability of its maritime forces is of note. . President Musharraf requested China to invest in this important strategic chokepoint in the Indian Ocean., to which China agreed. In each of these arenas, a successful Chinese effort to seize control of the South China Sea will have a profound impact and each is worth elaboration. Several countries in the area, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, make overlapping sovereignty claims over the islands and maritime rights in the SCS. Due to the strategic importance of the area, China will continue to establish a maritime power in the SCS as the most dominant player among states in the region. Then again, China may see its efforts in the South China Sea blunted. China is undertaking a persistent, long-term effort to establish control over the South China Sea. These islands are large enough for military runways and well as SAM installations. It is clear that increased maritime power projection in the SCS, from the Chinese in particular, has upset regional stability, and this is likely to continue. The United States should intensify capacity building efforts with allies and partners to improve their ability to resist Chinese coercion. Importance of South China Sea The South China Sea is a busy international waterway, one of the main arteries of global trade worth more than $5 trillion and is growing year on year. The two major power of the world i.e. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. The strategic importance of the South China Sea cannot be overstated. The region also is the subject of more than a dozen overlapping and interconnected disputes over who is in charge of the various islands, rocks, shoals and reefs scattered throughout the South China Sea waters. Should they be neutral, China may lord over the southern reaches of the South China Sea from military bases on its newly created and expanded islands in the Spratlys. India and Vietnam, while acknowledging the strategic importance of the SCS and their volatile position when it comes to China's rising power, are edging closer toward each other. In such a complex environment, it is important to have well-established, recognizable rules of international law. Despite all that, Beijing now faces a competition with Washington (and Delhi and Tokyo) for influence in Naypyidaw. In practice, Thailand may be neutral in the regions great power fissures into the next decade. As a result of this shift, China now seeks to control sea lines of communication, ensure national prosperity and continue economic growth and national greatness; the South China Sea plays a massive part in this. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. The conflict and tension over competing sovereignty claims in the South China Sea has grown considerably in the past 5-10 years. The strategic importance of the South China Sea is mainly due to its geographical location as the area is one of world's busiest and most strategic shipping lanes. The South China Sea is not only economically important for Malaysia as a maritime nation, but it is also as important from the perspective of national security. The geopolitical message was unmistakable: Western expectations that China was transitioning toward political democracy were entirely illusory. Sun Tzu Explains China's Shaping Operations in the South China Sea. Post-Mao China, with the emergence of Deng Xiaoping as paramount leader, became a major constructive presence dedicated to economic development fueled by opening the Middle Kingdom to the region and the world. The area is globally important for a few reasons. The South China Sea is considered a "near sea" and its geographic proximity to the mainland is central to the China's strategic imagination and threat perception. The Art of War helps expose the motivation behind past, current, and future Chinese actions. In a first, a Modi-Obamajoint statementlast year explicitly raised concerns over the South China Sea and called on all parties to avoid the threat or use of force and pursue resolution of territorial and maritime disputes through all peaceful means.. The area includes several hundred small islands, rocks, and reefs, with the majority located in the Paracel and Spratly Island chains. Security, Strategy, and Military Dynamics in South China Sea: Cross-National Perspectives on JSTOR. Beijing may not find it quite as easy to run roughshod over Hanoi in the coming years. The Thai people are lurching towards a new political arrangement, a process that Thais have to see through for themselves. The United States also faces a challenge in enforcing international law in the South China Sea. By the mid-1990s, relations with Vietnam had begun a rapidly improvement. But addressing the risks of its near seas means tackling the time-consuming and costly project of building, training and deploying a stronger blue-water navy while also establishing a greater . The United States, moreover, should work with its other Pacific alliesAustralia, South Korea and especially Japanto consider ways that they can lead efforts to expand infrastructure investment in Southeast Asia, perhaps by reforming and enlarging the Asian Development Bank or by launching a joint infrastructure investment fund. Coral reefs, which are vital to marine habitats, have been declining by 16 percent per decade, according to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The neighboring South East Asian countries of the highly volatile and busiest waterways of the South China Sea (SCS) have overlapping claims of sovereignty. To counter Chinas efforts to control the South China Sea, the United States needs a sustainable strategy to bolster its own capabilities, work more effectively with capable allies and partners, and strengthen the regional order. Japan and South Korea will face a perilous new reality with China in control of the seaborne lifeline of both countries. The Strategic Importance of the South China Sea (With reference to the geopolitical, economic, and military aspects) South China Sea is known as one of the most significant and dangerous cluster of Islands in the contemporary world. in the northeast, the South China Sea is one of the most important trade routes in the world. Recent satellite analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows that Chinese fishing fleets are engaged in paramilitary work on behalf of the state rather than the commercial enterprise of fishing, the organization reported. Networking Social Entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia: Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) program, The High Price of Neglecting Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy, Environmental Change and Security Program, North Korea International Documentation Project, Nuclear Proliferation International History Project, Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, The Middle East and North Africa Workforce Development Initiative, Science and Technology Innovation Program, Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition. U.S. Navy/Handout[/caption]. South China Sea is a strategic sea lane is significance for connectivity, navigation, trade and resources is a global hotspot as a potential flashpoint. Persistent American military presence at the eastern, southern and western points of the compassespecially when combined with regional states advancing ISR capabilities, for which the United States is providing investmentwould enable the United States to respond rapidly to incidents in disputed island chains or to Chinese attacks on U.S. and allied naval and air assets or on commercial shipping. Australia will be isolated with an uncertain future. It would also open the option of persistently jamming Chinese radar installations in the Spratlys. The U.S. military used Utapao for refueling efforts during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2000s, as well as for multinational relief efforts after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and April 2015 Nepal earthquake., The U.S.-Thai alliance has also served as a platform for important training exercises. China is working hard to bring under its control the water, islands, rocks and reefs that sit within its imaginary nine-dash line. Beijings moves have prompted Washington to counter Chinese assertiveness by forging a new strategic alignment in the regionone in which China dominates the South China Sea from the north, the United States and its partners do so from the east and west, and the states of continental Southeast Asia remain neutral or lean toward Beijing in the intensifying U.S.-China strategic competition. The strategic landscape of the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia in the early 1990s was remarkably benign with optimism in full flower. Close allies such as Australia and Japan have a great deal to offer in terms of capability and capacity, and should be encouraged to do more. Pressing Challenges to U.S. Army Acquisition: A Conversation with Hon. In 2016, they carried fully one-third of global shipping with an estimated value of $3.4 trillion. The United States and the West more broadly can live with such an outcome. She also observed that the sea-lanes through the South China Sea constituted a global commons not subject to sovereign claims by any nation. Notably, the paper identified Malaysia's maritime claims in the South China Sea as its top security concern. The USSJohn C. Stennistied up there for a few days in April. By the end of the 1970s, communist insurgencies outside Indochina had been effectively suppressed. Journals and books. Most of China's contested land borders were remote areas with few people, natural resources or clear military utility. Anil Trigunayat, 5th Generation Warfare: A Real Global Warming (Alarming) and its Implications for Pakistan, The Geopolitics of Indo-Pacific: the Rise of India and the Possible Challenges for Pakistan, 75 Years of Pakistan's Independence: Audit of Achievements and Failures, Bacterial Attack on Azerbaijani Oil a fictitious scenario, Pakistan, from the Shackles of Oligarchy to the Emergence of Democracy, Impact of Climate Change on Flood-Stricken People in Balochistan, Dimensions of Religion: Use, Misuse and Beyond, Breaking Free from Fossil Fuels: Why Nuclear Energy is Significant for Pakistan, Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education and Scientific Research: an interview with Fatima Roumate, Dalits, the Bottom of Indias Caste Ladder. The main route to and from Pacific and Indian ocean ports is through the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. Sign up to receive The Evening, a daily brief on the news, events, and people shaping the world of international affairs. As the new administration sets out to revamp U.S. strategy in the South China Sea, it should keep the following guidelines in mind: Although Chinese cooperation is necessary to address some regional and global issuessuch as North Koreas belligerent behavior and climate changethe United States should not be held hostage by concerns that a more robust deterrence strategy will thwart bilateral cooperation. The South China Sea is the gateway to access to the world ocean, the nexus for navigation as well as a security fence for several littoral states. The refusal, likely prompted by Beijing, might seem to be just another way for China to put pressure on Taiwan, which it has long regarded as a renegade province. How that competition will evolve remains to be seen, but the very fact of the contest should be understood as a reversal of fortune for China. access to Thailands military facilities, particularly the strategically located and well-equipped Utapao airbase, is considered invaluable. Such access would complement the renewed U.S. presence in the Philippines; facilitate a regular American presence in the western part of the South China Sea; enable the United States to more easily defendor seal upthe Malacca Strait; and, it should be noted, put American forces within striking distance of major Chinese bases on Hainan, including port facilities that host Chinas ballistic missile submarines. by Geoffrey Hartman NEW DELHI (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan urged China and the US to de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South . However, there were a number of reasons to conclude that the line was no cartographic anomaly; it was an official indication of Beijings contention that the sovereign territory of China included the South China Sea. That should, of course, remain the goal, but Washington must recognize that Thailand is in the midst of a decade-long political crisis, which is unlikely to be resolved until after King Bhumibols passing and the royal succession is completed. The strategic landscape of the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia in the early 1990s was remarkably benign with optimism in full flower. But in order to achieve renewed stability in the regionto ensure that Southeast Asians are not susceptible to non-military Chinese coercionthe United States must strive to become more than just the security partner of choice.
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