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| South China Sea Map Image Credit: Google |
The South China Sea is a marginal sea in the Western Pacific Ocean,
bordered by countries such as China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia.
It is a region of great economic and geostrategic importance.
Over one-third of the world's maritime shipping, carrying over US$3
trillion in trade annually, passes through this area.
It is also believed to have significant oil and natural gas
reserves, as well as abundant fisheries that provide food security for millions
of people in Southeast Asia.
Challenges Faced by China Sea:
- a. Environmental:
The South China Sea is facing serious environmental
challenges.
Overfishing has depleted fish stocks by 70 to 95 percent since the
1950s, and coral reefs, essential for marine habitats, are declining at a rate
of 16 percent per decade.
These issues have led to concerns about the sustainability of the
region's resources.
- b. Hotbed for Territorial Disputes:
The South China Sea is also a hotbed of territorial disputes.
Several countries, including China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and
Malaysia, have competing claims over the islands, reefs, and shoals in the
area.
China, in particular, asserts a maritime claim that is not consistent with international law, as determined by an arbitration tribunal in 2016.
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| Image Credit: Google |
Reasons why China seeks to Control?
There are three main reasons why Beijing seeks to control the South
China Sea.
- Firstly: It is strategically important for
the patrol of China's nuclear ballistic missile submarines, which need access
to the western Pacific Ocean for their deterrence capabilities against the
United States.
- Secondly: It serves as a buffer zone for
China in the event of a military attack by the US.
- Thirdly: The South China Sea is crucial for
China's maritime transportation, as it accounts for a significant portion of
global maritime trade and provides access to oil and gas reserves.
Tensions over South China Sea:
The tensions and conflicts over sovereignty in the South China Sea
have escalated in recent years, with China taking an increasingly assertive stance
and building military and civilian facilities in the disputed areas.
This has generated anxiety and suspicion among neighboring
countries and other global powers like US, UK, India, Japan and South Korea, .
The situation poses a challenge to regional stability and the
existing status quo.
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| Image Credit: Google |
Strategic importance of South China Sea:
Understanding the strategic importance of the South China Sea is
essential to grasp the significance of the ongoing contention.
a. Geographical Location:
b. The area's Resources:
c. The disputes over sovereignty:
d. The disputed islands:
e. The weightage of dominant Power:
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| Image Credit: Google |
The stance of US and Allies:
The United States recognized this strategic significance and
declared its freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as a national
interest in 2010, in response to China's assertive posture.
Vietnam and the Philippines sought to strengthen their partnership
and alliance with the US in 2012 to enhance their strategic position in the
South China Sea disputes.
They have also attempted to form a strategic alliance with Japan in
their struggle against China.
The US plays a crucial role in influencing the resolution of these
disputes due to its connections, trade, and allies in the region.
Chinese Actions in the Region:
China has demonstrated a significant increase in its projection of
power in the South China Sea.
- It has consistently increased its military budget, with over 8.5% growth in recent years. China has undergone military modernization, establishing new theatre commands and a Joint Operations Command.
- The production of its first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, signifies its shift from a soft power to a hard power stance at sea.
- China has been enforcing annual fishing bans, conducting maritime patrols, scientific surveys, and military exercises in the disputed islands and waters since 2009.
- It has also engaged in aggressive maritime behavior towards NATO warships exercising freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
- China's construction of artificial islands, including military facilities, in the Spratlys and Paracels has escalated tensions and demonstrated its power projection capabilities.
China's claims over the South China Sea based on the 9-dash line
doctrine are ambiguous and not recognized by the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Its maritime law enforcement activities have disrupted regional
stability and led to clashes and tensions with neighboring countries such as
Vietnam, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
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| Chinese Military build-up on Artificial Island Image Credit: Google |
The Chinese Projection of Maritime Interests:
The projection of maritime power by China is likely to continue as
it aligns with its economic, energy, and national security interests in the
region.
China aims to exert complete control over the South China Sea to
build a significant strategic sphere of influence.
Other countries in the region do not possess the same level of power
and resources to counter China's increasing projection of power.
The United States has a vested interest in the region due to its
national interests and may support other countries if it aligns with its own
interests.
The historical setting provides context for understanding the
current developments in the South China Sea.
The United States has been a major power in East Asia since World
War II, with military alliances and a military presence in the region.
China's actions in the past, such as the occupation of the Paracels
and the Tiananmen Square crackdown, indicated its intentions and challenged
Western expectations of political democratization.
The official maps and the "nine-dash line" showed China's
claim over the South China Sea, which gained attention and strategic
significance over time.
Overall, the increased projection of power by China in the South
China Sea has upset regional stability and is expected to continue.
The Interest of United States in the Region and Actions:
The United States recognizes the strategic importance of the region
and has a vested interest in ensuring its own economic and security interests
are protected.
Geopolitical developments in Asia and the South China Sea should be
closely monitored as power dynamics shift in the region.
The claim made by Secretary of State Clinton regarding the South
China Sea's status and the need for a peaceful diplomatic solution was met with
an incendiary response from the Chinese Foreign Minister, who asserted China's
sovereignty over the region.
The South China Sea holds significant importance for the United
States due to its economic interests, defense ties with allies, and
implications for the global balance of power.
Economically, the sea-lanes in the South China Sea are crucial as they
carry one-third of global shipping, valued at $3.4 trillion.
These sea-lanes are vital for China's trade, accounting for nearly
40% of its total trade and 90% of petroleum imports for China, Japan, and South
Korea.
Additionally, the sea-lanes serve as a military artery for the U.S.
Seventh Fleet, which regularly transits between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
In terms of defense ties, the United States has formal security
alliances with countries like Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and
Australia.
The U.S. also maintains security cooperation agreements with
Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, and conducts multilateral military exercises
in the region.
The regular transit of the Seventh Fleet through the South China
Sea supports these defense ties and reinforces the U.S. security presence in
the area.
The preservation of a regional "rules-based" order,
supported by U.S. power, is another crucial aspect related to the South China
Sea.
This order is based on principles such as respect for international
law, protection of sovereign independence, rejection of unilateral territorial
expansion, and the recognition of the sea-lanes as a global commons.
The United States sees this regional order as aligned with its
interests and values, and any Chinese control over the South China Sea could
challenge this order and shift the global balance of power.
European Union (EU):
For the European Union (EU), open access to the South China Sea is
advocated to ensure consistency with international maritime rules and protect
trade routes with Asia.
The EU is the third-largest trading partner for ASEAN countries
outside of Europe, and a significant portion of maritime trade volume passes
through the South China Sea.
The EU aims to maintain a rules-based regional architecture and
expresses concern about geopolitical competition and tensions in the
Indo-Pacific region.
It is worth noting that while the EU supports the principles of a
rules-based international order, it primarily seeks to maintain international
law, open freedom of navigation, and avoid taking a pro-U.S. position.
The EU's focus is on upholding international law rather than
aligning with the United States in its strategic competition with China.
The Contest for Supremacy:
Overall, the South China Sea is a significant geopolitical arena
where various interests and paradigms are contesting for supremacy.
The outcome of this contest will have profound implications for trade,
regional stability, defense alliances, and the global balance of power, shaping
the world in the 21st century. Both blocs look to China for trade as well.
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