Vietnam's strategic interests in the South China Sea: Challenges and The South China Sea is basically China's export waterway to Africa and to Europe (among other markets), but in order for China's enemy (aspiring conqueror), America, to harm and weaken China maximally, and to use the United Nations assisting in that aggression, America and its allies have cast this vital trade-waterway as being instead basically just an area to be exploited for oil and gas . Figure 4 shows the overlapping sovereignty claims in the SCS, with Chinas claims according to the 9 dash line doctrine in red. The strategic importance of the South China Sea cannot be overstated. A new arrangement for U.S. naval access to Cam Ranh Bay may well be in the offing. 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. Whomever is elected to be the next American president, that person would be wise to have in place a Plan B should the TPP fail to pass the Senate this year (such a Plan B is admittedly unlikely, given that both major candidates would bear responsibility for its failure in the first place). 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 SCS amounting to around $5 trillion. China, for example, has asserted a maritime claim to a large majority of the South China Sea that is not consistent with international law. 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. The Obama administration has made modest gains in this regard, but it will be up for to the next president to seize that opportunity and ensure that Southeast Asias future is prosperous, peaceful and free. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States." Chinese control of the SCS-and, more generally, Chinese domination of China's near-seas region, meaning the SCS, the East China Sea (ECS), and the Yellow Sea-could substantially aect U.S. strategic, political, and economic interests in the Indo-Pacic region and . Importance of the South China Sea for the US and China and their Southeast Asians do not want to and should not have to choose between the two, but Chinese behavior is moving some states to pick sidesor at least to lean in one direction or another. From busiest . South China Sea: What's China's plan for its 'Great Wall of Sand'? It is the geostrategic importance that is usually the main reason for the parties to strengthen their claim over the Spratlys and the Paracels. There were, however, cautionary signs for those prepared to see them. The United States should continue to prioritize military presence in the Asia-Pacific at the same time as it invests in key capabilities, such as long-range precision strike, undersea warfare, cyber/space systems, and other capabilities that will preserve the U.S. ability to deter Chinese aggression. Second, the United States should feel comfortable adopting a patient approach in pushing a return to full democracy in Thailand. It was the first time that had ever occurred. . India is training crews for Vietnams new Kilo-class submarines and will sell Vietnam BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. . "American aircraft, this is the PLA air force. Great Power Politics in the South China Sea - Stratfor Thanks to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), American power projection capabilities will be regularly present in the Philippines for the first time since the early 1990s. . Washington (United States of America), February 27 (ANI): A Chinese J-11 fighter jet armed with air-to-air missiles intercepted the US Navy reconnaissance jet over the South China Sea, the Wall Street Journal reported. What is more important from a strategic viewpoint, however, is that global energy projections that the EIA issues in the International Energy Outlook, issued in October 2021, make it clear that China and Asia will have a sharply growing dependence on MENA and Gulf petroleum exports that may well extend through 2050. And thus a new strategic map of Asia begins to emerge. 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. China's New Pressure on Taiwan in the South China Sea The Art of War helps expose the motivation behind past, current, and future Chinese actions. Final Thoughts & Looking Towards the Future. The U.S.-Thai relationship has suffered since the 2006 coup that overthrew Thaksin Shinawatra and especially since the latest coup, which saw the military take control in 2014 and stubbornly cling to power. U.S. interests in the South China Sea fall into three broad categories including: (1) Economic interests tied to the sea-lanes; (2) Defense ties with allies and other security partners; and (3) Implications for the global balance of power and influence. Miguel . Michael Green, Senior Vice President for Asia and Japan Chair; Dr. Zack Cooper, Fellow, Japan Chair; Bonnie Glaser, Senior Adviser for Asia and Director, China Power Project; Andrew Shearer, Senior Adviser on Asia-Pacific Security; and Greg Poling, Director Asia Maritime Transparency Initiativeto provide the analytical context and some fundamental principles that should guide strategic thinking on South China Sea policy. Improved governance will lead to stronger economies over the long term and dampen the influence of Chinese dirty money. 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. China has steadily built capabilities and infrastructure, most notably military facilities on artificial islands, that enable greater control of the South China Sea. U.S. Navy/Handout[/caption]. 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. To this end, the new administration should perform an early, top-down, and thorough strategic review to enable greater consistency and effectiveness in U.S. South China Sea policy. 1982 More than 160 nations conclude the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, an international treaty setting out the framework governing the oceans and their uses. or join us on Facebook. Why is the South China Sea so important to the US? The United States emerged from World War II as a resident great power in East Asia. The South China Sea is one such essential waterway, made more important by the value of the sea's fisheries and subsea resources such as natural gas. Current developments in the South China Sea must be understood against the backdrop of recent history. China and The Four Views Strategy - Modern Diplomacy Total fish stocks have been depleted by 70 to 95 percent since the 1950s. The Strategic Importance of the South China Sea. It can receive large aircraft (including C-17s and C-130s); it is close to a deep seaport; and it has infrastructure capable of handling command and control systems. With Burma internationally isolated for much of the past three decades, Beijing invested heavily in that countrys leadership. China is already providing indications of how it might act when it controls the South China Sea. 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. Conservation values protection of marine habitat against wanton, unnecessary despoliation are also essential. STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF SOUTH CHINA SEA - academia.edu 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. There are certainly other situations involving other challenges, but this is the most plausible and dangerous. 1) Islands are much more strategically valuable. and Amy Searight. 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. No other state in the region can match this increase in projection and rival China due to the economic differences. South China Sea or even some part of its strategically significant zones will provide the sovereign nation state significant seat in global trade agreements. The risk to Chinese power projection lies predominantly with US interests. 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. Washington, DC 20036. China has constructed more than 3,000 acres of artificial islands, and although this is not illegal, it is an intimidating display of wealth and power. More than half of the world's fishing vessels are in the South China Sea, and millions of people depend on these waters for their food and livelihoods. The Korean War produced formal defense treaties with each of these countries plus a new, permanent military presence in South Korea. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. - Interview with Ana Krstinovska, Russia's Growing Influence in the Middle East: an interview with Alexander Hoffmann, Serbia's Uneasy Balance Between Moscow and the EU: an interview with Suzana Grubjesic, Gulf States' Economic Momentum: an interview with Omar Al-Ubaydli, Prospects for Turkey-EU Relations Amid Tensions, Need to Cooperate and Lack of Trust: an interview with Nilgn Arsan Eralp, Germany's Shifting Stance in the Greek-Turkish Dispute: an interview with Ioannis P. Sotiropoulos, Bulgaria's Economic Perspectives amid Political Uncertainty and Challenges, Saudi Arabia's Reforms, Relations with the United States, and Choice of New Allies: an interview with David H. Rundell, Putin's Visit to Tehran: Results and Prospects, The Afghan Taliban Regime Amid Conflicting International Interests, The Resurgent Terrorist Threat in Pakistan: an interview with Tariq Parvez, The Complicated Upswing in U.S.-Pakistan Relations: an interview with Husain Haqqani, Pakistan-CARs ties: The Geo-Economic Vision, Neo-Petrodollar Romance: Implications and Options for Pakistan, India's Strategic Autonomy - Interview with Ambassador Rtn. The South China Sea - Some Fundamental Strategic Principles If China succeeds, in displacing U.S. power in the Western Pacific and Chinese territorial expansion into the South China Sea becomes permanent and codified, global geopolitics will have entered a new and very different era. China and the South China Sea | Wilson Center Brunei, ASEAN and the South China Sea | Lowy Institute U.S. access to the South China Sea is coming under increasing threat as Chinese power increases, but can be preserved if the United States maintains a sufficient military advantage over China. Tackling these issues will be tricky for the United States, as many of the elites that benefit from corruption will be those with whom Washington must work to deepen ties, but this is a long-term effort worth pursuing. Countries across the region prioritized economic growth and modernization. South China Sea, Dispute, Map, Countries, Strategic Importance US and China is engaging in this sea to control all significance. The South China Sea is one of the most important trade pathways in the world. See Media Page for more interview, contact, and citation details. Seventh Fleet patrolled the regions seaways, including the South China Sea, unchallenged including agreed access to ports throughout much of the region. 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. Sign up to receive The Evening, a daily brief on the news, events, and people shaping the world of international affairs. American littoral combat ships are rotating through Singapore, at the South China Seas western extremis, and the city-state has also quietly built the only Asian port outside of Yokohama at which an American aircraft carrier can dock. These women are creating climate solutions, One year later: Democracy stands in Ukraine. The message will be clear; the era of American international leadership and predominance is over and a new preeminent power has taken its place. Walter Lohman hasdescribedCobra Gold as an achievement that has proved useful for military missions, such as joint patrols of vital sea lanes, and noncombat missions, such as disaster relief following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2008 Cyclone Nargis in Burma.. The islands are important, however, for strategic and political reasons. Other claimant states welcome U.S. involvement precisely because Washington does not favor one claimants territorial ambitions over those of the others. When China moved a massive oilrig, theHaiyang Shiyou 981, into Vietnams exclusive economic zone in 2014, Vietnam had limited options to respond, at either the low end or the high. Check out the linked article on the Belt and road initiative now. For example, the Spratly Islands are claimed in entirety by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and in part by Brunei, the Philippines and Malaysia; each except Brunei occupies some of the islands. China has harassed U.S. Navy ships operating in the South China Sea, warned military flights to stay away from its artificial islands, and recently seized a U.S. drone operating in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. Allied efforts to support U.S. force posture in the region will remain vital, but the United States should also expect allies to make greater contributions in responding to Chinese coercion. The diplomatic tempest at the ARF came when U.S. security attention was preoccupied with ongoing military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the global counterterrorism campaign with Osama bin Laden still at large. Chinas significant increase in spending and capability of its maritime forces is of note. China, too, considers control of these waters to be of high strategic importance. Accordingly, Malaysia's note verbale serves as the strongest stance of Malaysia on the SCS in recent times and aligns itself with the top priority of its DWP. These islands are large enough for military runways and well as SAM installations. 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. The Balloon Incident and Evolution of Espionage. access to Thailands military facilities, particularly the strategically located and well-equipped Utapao airbase, is considered invaluable. It is one in which China dominates the South China Sea from the north; the United States and its partners dominate the eastern and western edges of the sea; and the bulk of continental Southeast Asian states (Thailand, Cambodia and Laos) are either neutral or aligned more closely with China. This segment will address American interests. Yet, due to Turkey's strategic importance, the US cannot afford to affront Mr. Erdogan, who carries a peculiar . As maritime security such as safety and freedom of . The importance of the South China Sea | ShareAmerica 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. To that end, the region is . 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. 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 . Chinese missiles on the mainland already hold all U.S. Asian bases at risk. In particular, Chinas growing assertiveness over sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea could be assessed as a serious challenge to the status quo in the region. If full democratization is her goal, there is no foreign partner more important than Washington for achieving it. China has adopted an increasingly assertive posture towards its own claims by elevating it to a core interest, strengthening its fishery law enforcement and building civilian and military facilities in the disputed islands and waters. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and. South China Sea has geo-strategic, geo-politic and geo-economic importance due to half of the world trade passage and presence of precious resources of oil and gas. Chinas island outposts will increase this advantage as Chinese aircraft, ships, and paramilitary vessels will be able to rest and resupply in the southern portion of the South China Sea. U.S. leaders should not be afraid of tension in the U.S.-China relationship. The reaction of the Chinese Foreign Minister was incendiary and revealing. Report Australia, for its part, has vocally supported U.S. freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea and may have quietly conducted its own in recent months. The most likely single scenario for a major military engagement against a great power adversary would be one against China centered on the South China Sea. China is undertaking a persistent, long-term effort to establish control over the South China Sea. 1994 The Convention on the Law of the Sea goes into effect. All countries want positive economic and security ties with both China and the United States. The South China Sea is a strategic body of water bordering Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and China. U.S. military advantage is of limited utility in this area and Washington has struggled to convince local partners to join in freedom of navigation operations. Why does China care so much about the South China Sea? Here are 5 South China Sea - Economic aspects | Britannica Chinas claims over the legal status and maritime rights of the 9 dash line remain ambiguous and outside of UN recognised EEZ claims. From the report. China sought access to natural resources, to political influence and to a strategic maritime position in the Bay of Bengal. The neighboring South East Asian countries of the highly volatile and busiest waterways of the South China Sea (SCS) have overlapping claims of sovereignty. Those bases may be vulnerable, but before and at the outbreak of hostilities, they will allow China to project power deep into maritime Southeast Asia, to threaten commercial and military passage through the sea, and to impose and enforce an air defense identification zone. It is a rich source of hydrocarbons and natural resources. The geopolitical message was unmistakable: Western expectations that China was transitioning toward political democracy were entirely illusory. The United States can stand firm on its principles and deter China from undermining the regional order while maintaining a productive relationship. In 1974, Chinese gunboats attacked and defeated a small South Vietnamese military outpost in the Paracels an archipelago of reefs, atolls, and islets in the South China Sea. Expanding U.S. access to Vietnamese facilities as described above could eventually render access to Thai facilities somewhat redundant, further weakening the institutional support for the alliance in the United States. Islands in the South China Sea The islands of the South China Sea can be grouped into two island chains. India will lose its current freedom of access into the South China Sea and much of Southeast Asia. This article examines Chinas behaviour in the South China Sea disputes through the lens of its strategy for managing its claims. 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. Besides, more than half of the world's fishing vessels pass through the SCS. The largest and most powerful of these . China, however, must now balance its continental concerns, which remain complex, against its new dependence on the maritime domain. PDF The Strategic Importance of South China Sea - World Geostrategic Insights China has become increasingly assertive in the region, and regional powers from Japan to Singapore have become alarmed at China's behavior. 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. China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea - Real Instituto What countries are claiming sovereignty, and to what extent is this disrupting regional stability? The second will analyze the strategic landscape in and around the South China Sea. According to the U.S. State Department, it has been estimated that China is effectively blocking the development of $2.5 trillion worth of oil and gas resources in the South China Sea. The area marked with a blue line is based on the UNCLOS 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) relating to each countrys claims and the islands marked in green are the ones over which sovereignty is disputed. economic importance associated with the ocean is tremendous and manifold. Chinese warplane intercepts US Navy plane over South China Sea Beijing may not find it quite as easy to run roughshod over Hanoi in the coming years. April 26, 2016 There is widespread interest in the rising tensions over the waters east of China. All this will occur in a region that is increasingly the vibrant center of the world economy. Journals and books. Cooperation on areas of shared interest is important not only to the United States, but also to China. Under President Xi Jinping, Beijing has undertaken more assertive policies that have greatly improved Beijings position in the South China Sea. It will always have an eye on the need to protect itself against attack from the sea, but there's much more to China's vulnerability than potential invasion or bombardment. Why is the South China Sea contentious? - BBC News The end of the Cold War found East Asia and the Western Pacific strategically quiescent. In short, adopting a more robust deterrence approach need not prevent cooperation that is in the interests of both countries. China and Philippines agree to 'manage differences' on South China Sea With a new Southeast Asian strategic alignment taking shape as described, geography makes Indonesia and Malaysiaespecially due to its Sabah and Sarawak states on Borneothe regions key swing states. 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. Nevertheless, for America, this new world will be profoundly discomfiting and even alien. In addition, the United States has affirmed some responsibility for the defense of Taiwan and has close security ties with Singapore and New Zealand. (PDF) Strategic Importance of Gwadar Port - ResearchGate According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), it carries one-third of global shipping, carrying trillions of dollars in trade, making it a significant geopolitical water body. China, Russia and the Munich Security Conference. 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. But the South China Sea has been dangerously overfished. The Strategic Importance of the South China Sea | Geollect 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. Should those ties continue to expand, moreover, the United States may find that it has greater flexibility in dealing with a vexing regional ally: Thailand. In 2010, the US declared its freedom of navigation in the SCS to be a national interest in response to Chinas increasingly assertive posture. 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. This geo strategic significance is the main reason behind the fact that China and other territorial stakeholders are contesting to gain control of these maritime lane. The strategic importance of the SCS is mainly due to its geographical location, as the area is one of the worlds busiest and most strategic shipping lanes. In addition, tensions have been raised with the Philippines after assertive Chinese naval patrols which they described as aggressive action.
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