First of all How is the South China sea a key sector for the planet ?
- maritime transportation is very important : it is the world’s busiest shipping route, (More
than 5 trillion dollars in trade flows through its waters each year and 30% of global
trade.
- The south china sea contains a collection of reefs, islands and atolls, including the
Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands and Scarborough Shoal which own plenty of resources
- A huge amount of oil (around 11 billion barrels of oil) and gas reserves lie beneath the
sea bed as well as enough fishing grounds to supply hundreds of millions of people
across the region with food and jobs. the South China Sea fisheries are vital to the
economies of the claimant states.
Territorial and sovereignty dispute
For decades, the South China sea has been a source of tensions between China and other
south east asian countries surrounding the sea. But recently the situation got worse than
before.
Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia claimed sovereignty over parts or
all of the islands. But China has gone too far and claimed sovereignty for the the nine
dash line of the South China Sea (the cays, reefs ans islands over the sea.) which
represents around 90% of the China sea. They argued that history has conferred them
sovereignty and maritime rights.
they insist on saying that chinese fishermen had been going to the south china sea since
the 13th century, they discovered and names these islands.
1. Over the past decades, China, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam occupied islands
in the south china sea, they reclaimed land and built military bases on them to assert
their sovereignty.
2. However China has reclaimed more than 3000 acres on the islands in 2014. In order to
be able control the international trade in the sea and dominate in case of crisis, China
instored a building program. they built military stations all around the different islands
so they make sure they have all areas covered. Recently they planned to build on
Scarborough Shoal near the Philippines in order to accommodate warships for civil
and defense needs. This
raised the attention of the other countries and the US.
Beijing has moved aggressively in recent years to strengthen its claims to most of the
South China Sea, assert military control over the waters and thus weaken US influence.
they plan to establish an air defense identification zone which would require aircraft to
register with the chinese authorities when they fly over the sea. It’s very provocative for
the Americans.
China relies on trade to maintain its economic superpower status as well as popularity and
legitimacy.
Paracel islands : conflict China/Vietnam
Vietnam and China’s competing claims over the Paracel islands exploded into deadly
military confrontations in 1974 which killed more than 70 Vietnamese soldiers
and 1988. China gained control over the Paracel islands
there were clashes in the Spratly Islands in 1988, killing 60 Vietnamese soldiers as well
( Spratley islands dispute was a conflict including China and all surrounding nations
claiming ownership of the island.
Scarborough Shoal : a major south chine sea fishery 220 km from the Philippines
It used to belong to the Philippines but China took control of the shoal after an April 2012
stand-off with the Philippine Navy, and blocked Filipino fishermen from entering the
shoal.
- China has built islands and airstrips on reefs and islets in the Spratlys archipelago, a
strategic location in the southern part of the sea.
- It’s a major source of conflict as The shoal also commands the northeast exit of the sea,
so a Chinese military outpost there could stop other countries' navies from using the vital
stretch of waters.
- Also An outpost at the shoal would also put Chinese fighter jets and missiles within easy
striking distance of US forces stationed in the Philippines.
On 22 January 2013, the Philippines instituted arbitral proceedings against China.
1. in 2016 the international law decided that China has no legal basis to claim historic
rights for resources.
2. But the chinese government rejected the rules before it was even released.
USA involment in the conflict :
The USA who is the Philippines ally and the biggest military power of the world,
got involved in the conflict. American naval vessels transit the area in order to assert the
right to freedom of navigation within international waters. The US major concerns relate
to the impact chinese actions could have on international trade and over the rise of
Chinese military and economic power. Besides, they feel threatened by China and their
fast development.
