Successful capacity building efforts will allow Southeast Asian states to better help themselves, bolstering deterrence against low-level Chinese coercion and allowing the U.S. military to focus more on deterring high-level contingencies. Examining Malaysia's Evolving Policy toward the South China Sea At the economic front, it is estimated that an annual global trade of $5.3 trillion passes through the SCS. The Balloon Incident and Evolution of Espionage. As the pivot of global economy continues to move east it is highly likely that 21st century geopolitics will continue to revolve around Asia and the SCS. Importantly, the countries of maritime Southeast Asia are not aligning only with the United States, but with a grouping of external states concerned with the nature of Chinas rise. Cross-Strait relations: The strategic importance of Taiwan Speaking to Anadolu Agency on Thursday, Bonji Ohara, a senior fellow at the Tokyo-based Sasakawa Peace Foundation, said the marginal sea is key to China's security. 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. That redundancy will grant the United States flexibility in a couple of ways. In the contemporary era, Taiwan remains geographically at the intersection of most of East Asia's danger points. Diplomatic, informational, legal, and economic responses are currently underrepresented in U.S. China policy, and their incorporation into the policy toolkit will be important for successfully dissuading China over the long-term. But addressing the risks of its near seas means tackling the time-consuming and costly project of building, training and deploying a stronger blue-water navy while also establishing a greater . 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. In 2016, they carried fully one-third of global shipping with an estimated value of $3.4 trillion. The geopolitical message was unmistakable: Western expectations that China was transitioning toward political democracy were entirely illusory. Pexels India-China Indo-Pacific South China Sea Signalling is important international relations. Then again, China may see its efforts in the South China Sea blunted. Hanoi and Canberra have launched a number of security dialogues and are expanding personnel exchanges, ship visits and officer training. China has become increasingly assertive in the region, and regional powers from Japan to Singapore have become alarmed at China's behavior. Dispersed American forces would act as countermeasure and would complicate defense planning for the Chinese military and political calculations for Beijing, while ensuring U.S. forces are positioned to support each other in the event of a crisis. African community leaders take home lessons from U.S. Malaysia's Diplomacy in the South China Sea: Between the Devil and the Security, Strategy, and Military Dynamics in South China Sea: Cross The United States should intensify capacity building efforts with allies and partners to improve their ability to resist Chinese coercion. The annual Cobra Gold exercise is Asias largest multilateral military exercise. The area is globally important for a few reasons. Notably, the paper identified Malaysia's maritime claims in the South China Sea as its top security concern. It is highly likely that China will continue to upset regional stability in the SCS to expand its own sphere of influence. This principled stand allows the United States to defend its interests without embroiling itself in the murky sovereignty claims at the heart of the South China Sea dispute. . The new administration should issue clear and consistent strategic messages, since inconsistent articulation of the objectives of the rebalance strategy has caused confusion in China and amongst U.S. allies and partners. Vietnam's coastline bordering the South China Sea is over 3,000 kilometers long. Narendra Modis Act East policy has resulted in an acceleration of burgeoning India-ASEAN ties and Indias position on the South China Sea territorial disputes essentially mirrors that of the United States. 5 min. The Malacca Strait, the South China Sea and the Sino-American 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. Geographical Significance and Natural Reserves in the South China Sea April 26, 2016 There is widespread interest in the rising tensions over the waters east of China. The strategic landscape of the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia in the early 1990s was remarkably benign with optimism in full flower. 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. U.S. access to the military facilities on the South China Seas southern flank, however, would shift the regions balance of power in Americas favor. 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. The South China Sea is one of the most important trade pathways in the world. Unfortunately, the allies now lack a shared strategic outlook, thus reducing the impetus to overcome recent bilateral political hurdles. Second, the United States should feel comfortable adopting a patient approach in pushing a return to full democracy in Thailand. Geostrategic importance of Bangladesh for the USA | South Asia Journal China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea - Real Instituto The South China Sea is the gateway to access to the world ocean, the nexus for navigation as well as a security fence for several littoral states. This concept of regional order links tightly to a broader set of interests, values, and institutions embodied in the post-World War II international system a system that reflects U.S. values, U.S. leadership and is consonant with U.S. interests. The increasing activity of Beijing in the South China Sea, Consequences of US-China rivalry in Indo-Pacific and beyond, Balancing the giants: Australia between China and US. NEW DELHI (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan urged China and the US to de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South . . By the mid-1990s, relations with Vietnam had begun a rapidly improvement. In 1995, the Philippines discovered that China had occupied and militarized an atoll (Mischief Reef) well within the Philippines EEZ and within maritime territory claimed by Manila. The third will assess the policies/strategies currently employed by the United States in this arena as well as other plausible options. This new strategic map of Southeast Asia actually began to take shape during the Bush administration, whichinitially launchedthe effort to move beyond Americas traditional hub-and-spokes alliance model in the Asia-Pacific. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Vietnam's strategic interests in the South China Sea: Challenges and Indeed, when push came to shove, China would force its bilateral partners to choose between economic prosperity on the one hand and security and even sovereignty on the other. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. 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. Follow the Asia Program on Twitter @AsiaProgram. Given these advantages, Washington can afford to focus on the long game in Asia, confident that Chinese adventurism is likely to push many states to turn to the United States for support. The United States has formally objected to Chinas South China Sea maritime claims. Enduring U.S. interestsfreedom of navigation and overflight, support for the rules-based international order, and the peaceful resolution of disputesare at risk in the region. Chinese fighter jet flies within 500 feet of U.S. patrol over South Center for Strategic and International Studies Historically, Taiwan's pivotal location off the China coast and between Northeast and Southeast Asia has served a variety of strategic purposes for regional powers, both offensive and defensive. (PDF) Strategic Importance of Gwadar Port - ResearchGate Countries across the region prioritized economic growth and modernization. SCSSAP - Strategic Action Programme Implementation - Home 1994 The Convention on the Law of the Sea goes into effect. Although ultimately unsuccessful in Vietnam, America emerged in a surprisingly advantageous strategic position in Southeast Asia with alliances intact with Thailand and the Philippines and friendly ties with Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. 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. Most of China's contested land borders were remote areas with few people, natural resources or clear military utility. director of the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative at Peking . U.S. Navy/Handout[/caption]. The Obama administrations decision to lift the decades-old arms embargo on Vietnam is instrumental here. The reaction of the Chinese Foreign Minister was incendiary and revealing. In recent years, U.S. military planners have shifted their focus from counterterrorism, low intensity conflict to great power, high intensity threats. 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. PDF Beyond Territorial Disputes In The South China Sea Legal Frameworks For Such pressure should focus on concrete, near-term objectives, such as putting a stop to reeducation of regime critics. In October 2020, Hong Kong's air traffic control denied a Taiwanese flight access to Pratas Island, a Taiwan-occupied feature in the South China Sea. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and. But if China continues to play its cards wrong and if the United States proves itself a dependable partner, American warships could one day regularly operate out of Cam Ranh Bay, the strategically located port-of-call, for the first time since the Vietnam War. In particular, Thailand has a much more benign outlook on Chinas rise and on its activities in the South China Sea, and although suggestions that Bangkok would dump Washington for Beijing are certainly overstated, Thai elites are hesitant to be drawn into what they see as a U.S. effort to contain the kingdoms largest trade partner. 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. 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. 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. It would also open the option of persistently jamming Chinese radar installations in the Spratlys. More and more, we see a particularly aggressive maritime stance from China towards NATO warships when exercising freedom of navigation through the SCS. That should, of course, remain the goal, but Washington must recognize that Thailand is in the midst of a decade-long political crisis, which is unlikely to be resolved until after King Bhumibols passing and the royal succession is completed. Russian long-range aviation, despite performing frequent combat missions against Ukraine, is also conducting Pacific patrols, sometimes together with Chinese H-6K strategic bombers (Nikkei Asia, November 30). 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. Miguel . Burma, however, is a potential bright spot for the U.S. position in continental Southeast Asia. China's New Pressure on Taiwan in the South China Sea The sea is rich in resources and holds significant strategic and political importance. In the near term, this could lead to sales of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment as well as patrol boats to allow Hanoi to better keep an eye on goings-on in the western South China Sea. Since 2014, China has stepped up the construction of artificial islands over the disputed Spratlys and Paracels in the SCS, causing an escalation of tensions, upsetting stability. The South China Sea, or South East Asian Sea, is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean.It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luzon, Mindoro and Palawan), and in the south by Borneo, eastern Sumatra and the Bangka Belitung Islands . 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. By contrast, China views. The global focus of economic power has traditionally been centred over the west with the UK and the USA as the key contributors; however in recent years, this has shifted east (see Figure 1), with the main reason for this being rapid urbanization in developing countries, in particular China. The Growing Importance of Vietnam to India's South China Sea Policy 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. 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. India has proactively engaged in the South China Sea (SCS), notably via boosting its naval presence and forging ties with Vietnam despite China's aggression. Last year, the construction projects covered 72 acres. Countering Chinas efforts has become a key test of perceived U.S. commitment to many in the region. China, for example, has asserted a maritime claim to a large majority of the South China Sea that is not consistent with international law. In December, another joint China-Russia naval exercise was held in the East China Sea (China Military Online, December 21, 2022). 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. Sun Tzu Explains China's Shaping Operations in the South China Sea. The United States can do more to leverage its alliances in Asia to raise the costs of Chinese efforts to undermine the regional order. China and The Four Views Strategy - Modern Diplomacy Beijings moves have prompted Washington to counter Chinese assertiveness by forging a new strategic alignment in the regionone in which China dominates the South China Sea from the north, the United States and its partners do so from the east and west, and the states of continental Southeast Asia remain neutral or lean toward Beijing in the intensifying U.S.-China strategic competition. The risk to Chinese power projection lies predominantly with US interests. The China - Solomon Islands security agreement and the competition in the South China Sea. From busiest . But in order to achieve renewed stability in the regionto ensure that Southeast Asians are not susceptible to non-military Chinese coercionthe United States must strive to become more than just the security partner of choice. 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. by Geoffrey Hartman The strategic importance of the South China Sea is mainly due to its geographical location as the area is one of world's busiest and most strategic shipping lanes. Currently, President Xi Jinping makes frequent references to Chinas possession of the South China Sea since ancient times an assertion that lacks any validity historically or legally. The South China Sea is a strategic body of water bordering Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and China. Today's world is the US-led where China is a rising giant economically and politically. How Much Oil and Gas Is Contained in the South China Sea? Firstly, the South China Sea is a prominent shipping passage with $5.3 trillion worth of . With the incoming administration likely to grapple early with South China Sea issues, the CSIS Southeast Asia Program, directed by Dr. Amy Searight, worked in collaboration with other Asia colleagues at CSISDr. The post-war regional order. Geopolitical and Strategic Landscape of South China Sea The strategic value of the alliance remains high, according to theCongressional Research Service: *** U.S. Why the Arctic is Not the 'Next' South China Sea The Strategic Importance of the South China Sea - academia.edu The Chinese recently built an island in the South China Sea, apparently as a potential airbase. Beyond that, there are a variety of formal security cooperation agreements with Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. China is already providing indications of how it might act when it controls the South China Sea. Generally, oil and minerals move north, and food and manufactured goods move south. However, Brunei's insistence that specific issues in the maritime region should be . India is training crews for Vietnams new Kilo-class submarines and will sell Vietnam BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. 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. China and Philippines agree to 'manage differences' on South China Sea multifaceted fiscal and strategic benefits, acting as a magnet for the regional as well as . 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. 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. Besides, more than half of the world's fishing vessels pass through the SCS. Its strategic economic importance and its geographic location at the confluence of several spheres of influence have rendered it one of the "world's hotspots". 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 region also is the subject of more than a dozen overlapping and interconnected disputes over who is in charge of the various islands, rocks, shoals and reefs scattered throughout the South China Sea waters. The United States and its Pacific allies should consider whether it is feasible and sensible to coordinate the activities of USAID, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 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. Giving ground on vital interests in Asia will not encourage greater cooperation on global issues. The South China Sea is one of the most important economic and environmental regions in the world. 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. Three years ago an arbitration tribunal issued a decision finding that Chinas maritime claims in the South China Sea are inconsistent with the Law of the Sea Convention. Geo-Strategic Importance of the South China Sea It is little surprise, then, that Southeast Asian states are drawing closer to the United Statesboth seeking aid in developing their own defense capabilities and hoping that stronger ties act as a deterrent to Chinese assertiveness. The sea-lanes that pass through the South China Sea are the busiest, most important, maritime waterways in the world. 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. All this will occur in a region that is increasingly the vibrant center of the world economy. In May, Australia and Singapore agreed to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In the defense realm, the CSP paves the way for more bilateral military exercises, greater Singaporean access to Australian training facilities, enhanced intelligence-sharing arrangements and expanded people-to-people exchanges. Inconsistent messaging and policiesincluding on freedom of navigation and routine presence operationshave also led to confusion in the region. Thats why the United States has urged countries to resolve maritime claim disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law. In a context of great power competition, the South China Sea (SCS) has emerged as an arena of U.S.-China strategic competition. It threatens the sovereignty of many nations and endangers the prosperity of the world. China tries to control the waters by using fishing vessels that are part of the Chinese maritime militia, coast guard ships, and naval vessels to harass other countries boats and deny access to this key area. 2009 China issues two diplomatic notes that appear to claim a majority of the South China Sea. The South China Sea contains some of the world's most important shipping lanes. President Musharraf requested China to invest in this important strategic chokepoint in the Indian Ocean., to which China agreed. This alignment will further U.S. goals: to continue to mount a forward defense, to keep the seas and skies free, and to promote prosperity and the spread of democracy. Access to all three is now in doubt. Importance of the South China Sea for the US and China and their Hence, the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Importantly, American access to four airbases (with potentially more to be made available at a later date)especially those on Luzon and Palawanwill make U.S. air power resident in Southeast Asia. Seventh Fleet patrolled the regions seaways, including the South China Sea, unchallenged including agreed access to ports throughout much of the region. 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Sign up to receive The Evening, a daily brief on the news, events, and people shaping the world of international affairs. As . It is clear that increased maritime power projection in the SCS, from the Chinese in particular, has upset regional stability, and this is likely to continue. To counter Chinas efforts to control the South China Sea, the United States needs a sustainable strategy to bolster its own capabilities, work more effectively with capable allies and partners, and strengthen the regional order. However, there were a number of reasons to conclude that the line was no cartographic anomaly; it was an official indication of Beijings contention that the sovereign territory of China included the South China Sea. All countries want positive economic and security ties with both China and the United States. In practice, Thailand may be neutral in the regions great power fissures into the next decade. 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). 2023 Center for Strategic & International Studies. The primary challenge to American regional predominance came from Maoist China first through the Korean War and then via communist insurgencies throughout Southeast Asia culminating in the Vietnam War (1963-75). You are approaching Chinese airspace. 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 . What has been happening in the South China Sea and what do experts Media Relations Manager, External Relations. Meanwhile, Japan is providing ten new multi-role vessels to the Philippine Coast Guard; Manila is also interested in procuring used P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Tokyo. In order to understand the contention of the South China Sea and its significance, it is firstly imperative to understand the geopolitical importance of Asia, which has given rise to Chinese pre-eminence; enabling its rise to contemporary major political power on the global stage. In sum, the South China Sea is the immediate arena where two alternative geopolitical paradigms are contesting for supremacy. There are certainly other situations involving other challenges, but this is the most plausible and dangerous. Abstract. As sovereignty over the SCS involves Chinas economic, energy and national security interests it is highly likely that the increased projection of maritime power will continue. Why does China care so much about the South China Sea? Here are 5 This article examines Chinas behaviour in the South China Sea disputes through the lens of its strategy for managing its claims.
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