[53][54], In August 2019, China's paramount leader Xi Jinping told the Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte that China would not recognise or abide by the Arbitration decision. [27] The United States, in the middle of détente with the PRC, gave a non-involvement promise to the PRC, which enabled the People's Liberation Army Navy to take control of the South Vietnamese islands. [22] China's 1958 declaration described China's claims in the South China Sea islands based on the nine-dotted line map. He has made his own political accommodation with China. CFR Backgrounder, Revising U.S. Grand Strategy Toward China, Robert D. Blackwill and Ashley J. Tellis, Council Special Report This occurred during a visit by Duterte to Beijing, with discussions between the two leaders. In August 2018, a BBC team flew over the disputed South China Sea islands in a US military plane. Exploration in the area began in Reed Bank/Tablemount. As called for by many countries, the U.S. should rethink its moves in the region. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. [4] According to Reuters, island building in the South China Sea primarily by Vietnam and the Philippines has been going on for decades; while China has come late to the island building game, its efforts have been on an unprecedented scale as it had from 2014 to 2016 constructed more new island surface than all other nations have constructed throughout history and as of 2016 placed military equipment on one of its artificial islands unlike the other claimants. For Prelims: What is the dispute all about, countries involved. The South China Sea dispute is inherently a sensitive issue that ASEAN states cannot agree on due to their different interests. U.S. August 2018, With Ships and Missiles, China Is Ready to Challenge U.S. Navy in Pacific, Steven Lee Myers Top US diplomat reiterates support for Southeast Asian countries in long-running dispute over South China Sea. May 20, 2019, U.S. China. [29] On 11 June 1978, President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines issued Presidential decree No. The South China Sea is arguably at the crux of future U.S.-Chinese great-power relations. The geopoliticalization of the South China Sea by the U.S. has further complicated the security situation in the region and placed more hurdles in the peaceful settlement of these disputes. Prior to the final settlement of the disputes, China is legitimately concerned about defending and preserving its rights and interests. In 1994, the PRC occupied Mischief Reef, located some 250 miles from the Philippine coast. Japan ‘to send largest warship to South China Sea’ in show of force. [28] The United States officially addressed the South China Sea dispute for the first time in 1995, when its statement focused on the peaceful resolution of disputes, peace and stability, freedom of navigation, neutrality over the question of sovereignty and respect of maritime norms. However, the conflict on the South China Sea was significantly boosted in 1992 when China passed a law that the entire South China Sea belonged to China. Although China has acknowledged Indonesia's sovereignty over the Natuna islands,[110] the PRC has argued that the waters around the Natuna islands are Chinese "traditional fishing grounds". May 2015, Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2015, U.S. Department of Defense As for oil and gas exploration activities, our consistent position is that we are opposed to any country engaging in oil and gas exploration and development activities in waters under China's jurisdiction. [64] These oil fields supply 15% of annual oil consumption in the Philippines. "[50] Responding to questions about whether this reflected official policy, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stated the country's commitment "to resolving the maritime dispute through peaceful means. [37], On 20 July 2011, the PRC, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam agreed a set of preliminary guidelines on the implementation of the DOC (Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea) which would help resolve disputes. China is rolling out new uniforms to make troops on disputed South China Sea islands more… Business Insider 16:29 27-Jan-21 Fresh Chinese military drill begins in South China Sea … Diplomat September 2015, A Security Message for the South China Sea, Karen Brooks Patrols have been mobilised after China was accused of a bold move with a coast guard vessel, sparking a tense South China Sea dispute. South China Morning Post As well, due to depletion of the fishing resources in their maritime areas, they were forced to fish in the neighbouring countries' areas. [56] On 22 September 2020, in UN Speech, the Philippine President, Rodrigo Duterte reaffirmed the Hague ruling rejecting most of China's claims to disputed waters, and said “The award is now part of international law, beyond compromise and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish, or abandon.” [57], The area is said to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits; however, the estimates are highly varied. Thailand's neutral position enabled it to act as a mediator and influence discussions among parties involved.[123]. (5%). The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which was concluded in 1982 and came into force in 1994, established a legal framework intended to balance the economic and security interests of coastal states with those of seafaring nations. August 23, 2019, The Cyber Dimension of the South China Sea Clashes, Mark Manantan Beijing sends upgraded tropical wear to make troops comfortable at disputed South China Sea outposts South China Morning Post 02:44 26-Jan-21 'Pinoy fishermen can be shot': Expert wary of China's new law vs foreign ships ABS-CBNnews.com 01:51 26-Jan-21 [88][89] Further Indonesian campaigns against foreign fishermen resulted in the destruction of 23 fishing boats from Malaysia and Vietnam on 5 April 2016. We hope the foreign countries do not get involved in South China Sea dispute. The South Chins Sea (SCS) dispute is a maritime claims dispute among various states including China, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei. [55] Such a stance by Beijing is in line with the July 2019 publishing of a Chinese White Paper, "China's National Defense in the New Era," which details China's armed strength and repeatedly mentions deployment in the South China Sea. [93], Teodoro Locsin Jr., the Filipino Secretary of Foreign Affairs, said the Philippines was building a maritime fleet that could swarm areas in the South China Sea. March 20, 2019, Xi's South China Sea ‘Fishermen’ Risk Hooking U.S. into Conflict, Chris Horton and Cliff Venzon But issuing a joint statement is only the first hurdle in the proposal. [91][92] Although Indonesian authorities increased their patrols to detect foreign fishing vessels, the areas in the South China Sea had already become known for Indonesian pirates, with frequent attacks on Malaysian, Singaporean and Vietnamese vessels as well as leading to hijacking such as the MT Orkim Harmony and MT Zafirah hijacking incidents. The United States has a role in preventing military escalation resulting from the territorial dispute. [5] A 2019 article in Voice of America that compared China and Vietnam's island building campaign in the South China Sea similarly noted that the reason why Vietnam in contradistinction to China has been subject to little international criticism and even support was because of the slower speed and widely perceived defensive nature of its island-building project. Thailand's first attempt was hosting the ASEAN–China Senior Officials' Meeting Retreat in Pattaya, Thailand 2012. Center for Strategic & International Studies China includes the archipelagos … China's military test-fired two missiles into the South China Sea, including a ‘carrier killer’ military analysts suggest might have been developed to attack US forces, a newspaper reported Thursday. [10][11] Both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan) stated that they did not recognize the tribunal and insisted that the matter should be resolved through bilateral negotiations with other claimants. July 12, 2016, Remarks by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Ash Carter South China Sea dispute. [78], Prior to the dispute, fishermen from involved countries tended to enter each other's controlled islands and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) leading to conflicts with the authorities that controlled the areas as they were unaware of the exact borders.  Republic of China 1：Taiping 2：Zhongzhou The US therefore did not claim these islands to be the US territory when in 1938 Japan declared them to be Japanese territory and incorporated them as connected to Taiwan under the name of ‘Shinnan Gunto’. [135] In 2014 and 2015, the United States continued freedom of navigation operations, including in the South China Sea. Research guide South China Sea [number of readers: 16696] South China Sea Special. Nikkei Asian Review September/October 2016, A Line In the Sea: How the Philippines Decision Could Settle the South China Sea, Robert A. Manning and James Przystup February 2016, Joshua Kurlantzick [44] In response, PRC Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu, without referring to India by name, stated: "China enjoys indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea and the island. [80][81] Attacks have also come from Filipino and Moro pirates arriving from the Sulu Sea; a Vietnamese fisherman was killed by Filipino pirates in late 2015. [29], In 1988, PRC and Vietnam fought each other near the Johnson Reef. [142] In 2019, the United States has also twice flown B-52 Stratofortress bombers near the PRC-claimed islands in the Spratlys. The South Chins Sea (SCS) dispute is a maritime claims dispute among various states including China, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei. China has been blocking fishermen from a reef near the Philippines for four years, in another flash point in the dispute over the South China Sea. The states dispute over the claims of territorial control, freedom of navigation, fisheries, shipping lines and exploitation of natural resources of oil and gas in the South China Sea region. [67] Offshore exploration activities in 2011 increased Vietnam's proven oil reserves to be the third largest in the Asia-Pacific region. In September 2011, shortly after the PRC and Vietnam signed an agreement seeking to contain a dispute over the South China Sea, India's state-run explorer, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) said that its overseas investment arm, ONGC Videsh Limited, had signed a three-year agreement with PetroVietnam for developing long-term co-operation in the oil sector, and that it had accepted Vietnam's offer of exploration in certain specified blocks in the South China Sea. [106], India says that the South China Sea was "part of global commons and India has an abiding interest in peace and stability in the region... We firmly stand for the freedom of navigation and overflight and unimpeded lawful commerce in these international waterways, in accordance with international law, notably UNCLOS." The South China Sea, rich in energy resources and located near busy shipping lanes, has been disputed for decades. June 9, 2016, Tensions Escalate Over South China Sea Claims, Tom Benner Eurasia, Middle July 31, 2017, Lynn Kuok New York Times, China's Short-Term Victory In the South China Sea, Mira Rapp-Hooper [17][18] Historical accounts note that at least France had controlled some of the features in the region during the 1930s. Most observers usually look at the South China Sea disputes with pessimistic eyes. Al-Jazeera [28], In the later half of 1970s, the Philippines and Malaysia began referring to the Spratly Islands as included in their own territory. [116], Indonesia challenged the Chinese nine-dash historical claim by arguing that if the historical claims can be used on presenting the territorial naval claims, Indonesia might also use its historical claims on the South China Sea by referring to the ancient influence of the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires. In 2014–2015, the presence of the Indonesian National Armed Forces on the islands was reinforced, which the Indonesian government hoped would reduce the chance of any conflict. January 22, 2019, Defusing the South China Sea Disputes: A Regional Blueprint, Center for Strategic and International Studies May 5, 2016, William G. Frasure China's aircraft carrier Liaoning takes part in a military drill in the western Pacific Ocean on April 18, 2018. August 15, 2017. The mechanism of joint agreements is not new, with Malaysia and Vietnam having forged a similar mechanism in 1992, while Malaysia and Thailand reached understandings in 1979 and 1990 over the development of gas-rich disputed waters. Of particular concern to the U.S. military is the possibility that the outposts may be part of a Chinese effort to dominate the South China Sea, with the ultimate goal of making China a regional hegemon that can set the rules by which other regional actors must operate. We hope they will respect and support countries in the region to solve the bilateral disputes through bilateral channels. CFR Blog, "The Internationalist"  Philippines 1：Flat Island 2：Lankiam Cay 3：Loaita Cay 4：Loaita Island 5：Nanshan Island 6：Northeast Cay 7：Thitu Island 8：West York Island 9：Commodore Reef 10：Irving Reef 11：Second Thomas Reef May 27, 2015, State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China [74] It began operation on 9 May 2012 in the South China Sea, 320 kilometres (200 mi) southeast of Hong Kong, at a depth of 1,500 m and employing 160 people. [82][83], In the spring of 2014, China and Vietnam clashed again over China's Haiyang Shiyou oil rig in Vietnam's EEZ. It took the initiative to hold several meetings with parties concerned. Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative The South China Sea disputes are maritime and island claims between different sovereign states in the region. The United States has also stepped up its military activity and naval presence in the region in recent years, including freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) in January and March 2018. [70], In 2017, after Chinese pressure, the Vietnamese government ordered Spain's Repsol to stop drilling in the disputed area. Ketian. [105] Anti-Vietnamese sentiment due to Vietnam's conquest of previously Cambodian lands, giving the Vietnamese a privileged status and encouragement of Vietnamese settlers in Cambodia during French colonial rule, and the occupation of Cambodia after the ouster of the Khmer Rouge has led to anti-Vietnamese feelings against ethnic Vietnamese in Cambodia and against Vietnam, and in turn has led to pro-China sentiment among the Cambodian government and the Cambodian opposition, including in the South China Sea. July 17, 2016, Surface Tension: Chinese Aggression Roils Southeast Asian Waters, Stewart Patrick Center for Strategic and International Studies, Ivan Watson, Brad Lendon, and Ben Westcott, Benoit Hardy-Chartrand and J. Berkshire Miller, Center for Strategic & International Studies, CFR Contingency Planning Memorandum Update, Robert D. Blackwill and Ashley J. Tellis, Council Special Report, U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China, Diplomacy In addition to the critical Taiwan issue, the South China Sea is the arena where competing paradigms are clashing and the chance of war is more likely than anywhere else. China maintains [PDF] that, under international law, foreign militaries are not able to conduct intelligence-gathering activities, such as reconnaissance flights, in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The U.S.-China Dispute Over Freedom of the Seas A dispute over how to interpret UNCLOS lies at the heart of tensions between China and the United States over the activities of U.S. military vessels and planes in and over the South China Sea and other waters off China’s coast. [69] In 2009 petroleum accounted for 14 percent of Vietnamese government income, down from 24 percent in 2004. Indonesia quickly dismissed China's claim, asserting that China's nine-dash line claim over parts of the Natuna islands has no legal basis. [47][48][49], In October 2011, the PRC's Global Times tabloid, published by the Communist Party People's Daily group, editorialised on South China Sea territorial disputes under the banner "Don't take peaceful approach for granted". [30] The PRC had obtained a permit from the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission to build five observation posts for the conduction of ocean surveys, and one of the permitted observation posts was allowed to be located in the Spratly islands region. [23] The legacy of the nine-dash line is viewed by some PRC government officials, and by the PRC military, as providing historical support for their claims to the South China Sea. The Interpreter Task Force Program, About We hope that the relevant countries respect China's position and refrain from taking unilateral action to complicate and expand the issue. However, Singapore hopes that China will obey international laws. China to conduct South China Sea military exercises. [87] On 19 March 2016, the China Coast Guard prevented the detention of Chinese fishermen by Indonesian authorities after Chinese fishermen were caught fishing near the waters around Natuna, leading to a protest by Indonesian authorities; the Chinese ambassador was subsequently summonsed as China had considered the areas to be "Chinese traditional fishing grounds". [citation needed] On 27 March 1984, the first Philippine oil company discovered an oil field off Palawan, which is an island province bordering the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. What is the U.S. position on South China Sea disputes? Context: In the middle of the global coronavirus pandemic, China has been busy increasing its presence in the South China Sea. June 20, 2017, U.S. Foreign Affairs Chinese warships and fighter jets take part in a military display in the South China Sea on April 12, 2018. Competing claims of territorial sovereignty over islands and smaller features in the South China Sea have been a longstanding source of tension and distrust in the region. This was seen as largely backing the US position.[107]. Grading the South China Sea Arbitration, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative Asia. Campus, construct military and industrial outposts. [60] The same EIA report also points to the wide variety of natural gas resource estimations, ranging from 190 trillion cubic feet to 500 trillion cubic feet, likely located in the contested Reed Bank". [79][80][81], A Taiwanese fisherman was machine gunned to death by the coast guard of the Philippines in May 2013. [144] On 14 Jul 2020, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has declared China's claims and coercions of in parts of the South China Sea is “completely unlawful”. June 28, 2018, Two Cardinal Sins of U.S. South China Sea Policy, Ely Ratner [115], Following the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling on 12 July 2016, Indonesia called on all parties involved in the territorial dispute to exercise self-restraint and to respect applicable international laws. The South China Sea Disputes: A clash of international law and historical claims. January 25, 2018. May 25, 2017, Mira Rapp-Hooper and Charles Edel By May 1939 the Japanese had laid claim and occupied the Paracel and Spratly Islands. As early as the 1970s, countries began to claim islands and various zones in the South China Sea, such as the Spratly Islands, which possess rich natural resources and fishing areas. February 16, 2019, China’s Actions in the South and East China Seas: Implications for U.S. Interests—Background and Issues for Congress, Congressional Research Service National Interest [147][148], Disputes over maritime and island sovereignty, Chinese objection to Indian naval presence and oil exploration, Japans next move, New Zealand Herald, 19 May 1939, Page 10, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Islands, reefs, banks and shoals in the South China Sea, the PRC used military force in the Paracel Islands, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, The Chinese Ministry of Geological Resources and Mining, Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific, Vietnam's conquest of previously Cambodian lands, East Asian foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands, "How much trade transits the South China Sea? August 4, 2015, Bonnie S. Glaser [32] The two states clashed near the Johnson Reef, and after the clash, China occupied the Johnson Reef.[31]. “Cautious Bully: Reputation, Resolve, and Beijing’s Use of Coercion in the South China Sea,”, This page was last edited on 3 February 2021, at 02:55. Maritime Awareness Project Occupation was made in the middle of an energy resources race in the Spratlys, where China lacked a presence while the other countries were starting their oil exploration businesses. Protestors display placards during a rally outside the Chinese Consulate in Makati, the Philippines, to protest China's reclamation activities in the South China Sea on February 10, 2018. Asia. September 26, 2019, U.S.-China Strategic Competition in South and East China Seas: Background and Issues for Congress, Ronald O'Rourke May 2, 2017, China welcomes ASEAN summit declaration on South China Sea, Chinese Patrol Ships Keep Presence Around Malaysian Reefs, Oliver Holmes June 13, 2019, China's Most Destructive Boats Return to the South China Sea, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative U.S.-China strategic [137] In May 2015, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter warned China to halt its rapid island-building. [60], The state-owned China Offshore Exploration Corp. planned to spend 200 billion RMB (US$30 billion) in the next 20 years to exploit oil in the region, with the estimated production of 25 million metric tons of crude oil and natural gas per annum, at a depth of 2000 meters within the next five years. On the basis of this China is ready to engage in peaceful negotiations and friendly consultations to peacefully solve the disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime rights so as to positively contribute to peace and tranquillity in the South China Sea area. They encourage the claimants to resolve their disputes peacefully. All claimants in the South China Sea disputes, including China, are signatories to UNCLOS, which sets forth clear laws for the waters surrounding the territories of nation-states (Poling, 2013). The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), whose most recent charter came into force in November of 1994, constitutes the current basis of international law in the South China Sea disputes (UNCLOS, 2016). The South China Sea Dispute: Navigating Diplomatic and Strategic Tensions. [139] This is the first time since 2012 that the US has directly challenged China's claims of the island's territorial limit. [94] He also said if one of the vessels got hit, the Filipino defense treaty with the United States would also be activated. CFR Blog, "Strength Through Peace" June 5, 2018, Concrete and Coral: Tracking Expansion in the South China Sea, Jin Wu, Simon Scarr, and Weiyi Cai Newsweek [141], President Trump's administration has increased the freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea region as a part of their dynamic force employment strategy. September 24, 2019, New Allies Vietnam, Australia Express Concern Over South China Sea Tensions, James Pearson and Khanh Vu However, Beijing appears to have backed away from that assertion in 2011. [146], Publications by US think tanks have made recommendations for the courses of actions that the United States could take in response to PRC activities in the South China Sea. Maritime boundary along the Vietnamese coast between the PRC, Taiwan, and Vietnam. New York Times Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea: Selective Bibliography. The South China Sea disputes involve both island and maritime claims by several sovereign states within the region, namely Brunei, the People's Republic of China (PRC), the Republic of China (ROC/Taiwan), Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. … Indian Ocean Conference- IOC 2019. CFR Expert Brief [130] On 29 May 2012, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed concern over this development, stating that "non-claimant Association of South East Asian Nations countries and countries outside the region have adopted a position of not getting involved into territorial disputes. [59] According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA)'s profile of the South China Sea region, a US Geological Survey estimate puts the region's discovered and undiscovered oil reserves at 11 billion barrels, as opposed to a PRC figure of 125 billion barrels. China’s increasing assertiveness, especially in regions it borders, is reshaping international affairs. Meanwhile, China continues to construct military and industrial outposts on artificial islands it has built in disputed waters. April 12, 2016, Robert D. Blackwill and Kurt M. Campbell China to step up naval patrols in response to Trump stance. Territorial disputes in the South China Sea were a major topic, but its joint statement, the "Sunnylands Declaration", did not name the South China Sea, instead calling for "respect of each nation's sovereignty and for international law". [12] On September 17, 2020, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issued a joint note verbale recognizing the PCA ruling and challenging China's claims.[13]. In the 1970s, China and Vietnam confronted over Paracel islands in the South China Sea. & [62] In 1976, gas was discovered following the drilling of a well. [52], From 2013 to the beginning of 2018, China carried out land reclamation in the South China Sea. Reuters CFR Council Special Report  People's Republic of China 1：Yongshu 2：Meiji 3：Zhubi 4：Huayang 5：Nanxun 6：Chiguo 7：Dongmen China's military test-fires 'carrier killer' missile in disputed South China Sea. September 1, 2017, Why Tensions Are Rising Between Vietnam and China, Hunter Marston During the days leading up to the South China Sea arbitration ruling in July 2016, China’s official state-run news agency Xinhua published an article proudly announcing, “Many African countries have recently voiced their support to China over the Philippine-initiated arbitration on the South China Sea dispute[. Foreign Affairs January 31, 2019, How the U.S. Can Step Up in the South China Sea, Greg Poling and Bonnie S. Glaser China's stand is based on historical facts and international law. Since May 2017, the United States has conducted six FONOPs in the region. [3] Claimant states are interested in retaining or acquiring the rights to fishing stocks, the exploration and potential exploitation of crude oil and natural gas in the seabed of various parts of the South China Sea, and the strategic control of important shipping lanes. The South China Sea Island Disputes 2584 646 The South China Sea Islands Disputes Name of student Name of institution The South China Sea Island Disputes Introduction China’s rise to the status of a global economic power has been viewed with both skepticism and hope by her neighbors. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech as he reviews a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy military display in the South China Sea on April 12, 2018. China's sovereign rights and positions are formed in the course of history and this position has been held by Chinese Government for long. 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