What is the issue with the South China Sea?
What is the issue with the South China Sea?
China’s actions in the South China Sea are no longer just a regional issue. The South China Sea Arbitration case decided on July 12, 2016 was an arbitration case brought against China for its effective control of maritime features in the South China Sea that are part of a territorial dispute.
Why is the South China Sea so important?
South China Sea accounts for at least a third of the global maritime trade. While huge oil and natural gas reserves are said to lie beneath its seabed, it is also a fishing ground crucial for food security.
Why is the South China Sea so contentious?
The first is the countries claiming parts of the South China Sea cannot agree who owns the Paracel and Spratly islands. China asserts its sovereignty based on highly disputable evidence from ancient times, as well as more recent claims from 1902-39. Rival claimants to the islands deny the validity of this evidence.
Who governs the South China Sea?
Both the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC, commonly known as Taiwan) claim almost the entire body as their own, demarcating their claims within what is known as the “nine-dash line”, which claims overlap with virtually every other country in the region.
Are the Spratly Islands man made?
Located in the South China Sea, over 3,000 acres of artificial islands called Spratly islands were created for industrial and military purposes. These islands created a dramatic environmental change in the area which damaged large amounts of living coral reefs (2,000 acres).
What is geopolitical competition over the South China Sea?
Geopolitical competition over the South China Sea mainly involves external countries and organizations using political, diplomatic and military means to compete with each other for geopolitical comparative advantage out of selfish strategic considerations.
What is the significance of the South China Sea?
It is also the site of several complex territorial disputes that have been the cause of conflict and tension within the region and throughout the Indo-Pacific. Geographically, the South China Sea plays a significant role in the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific.
Which countries border the South China Sea?
The South China Sea is bordered by Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Their recent economic growth has contributed to a large portion of the world’s commercial merchant shipping passing through these waters. Japan and South Korea rely heavily on…
What is the South China Sea issue in 2017?
When repercussions from the South China Sea Arbitration involving China and the Philippines are still being felt in 2017, the South China Sea issue is once again creating new waves.
