In recent years, Chinas inventive engineering feats have allowed it to create more than 3,200 acres of new land in the South China Sea. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. Read more, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NWWashington, DC 20004-3027, 2023 The Wilson Center. China has tried to effectively annex the whole South China Sea region as its territorial waters, according to Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). To counter China's 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. 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. 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. 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. More than 50% of world trade passes. Conservation values protection of marine habitat against wanton, unnecessary despoliation are also essential. 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. 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. These islands are large enough for military runways and well as SAM installations. U.S. policy in the South China Sea has been overly reliant on military options, which may not always be the most effective response. The United States has several enduring advantages that make regional states continue to seek it out as the security partner of choice, including the worlds best military, high favorability ratings in most local populations, and a less threatening foreign policy than that of China. Talks are focused on articles that are relevant to disaster relief, but the agreements eventual parameters could expand as the U.S.-Vietnam security relationship matures. If full democratization is her goal, there is no foreign partner more important than Washington for achieving it. U.S. goals to uphold regional alliances and partnerships, defend international rules and norms, and maintain a productive relationship with China remain valid. More than half of the worlds fishing vessels are in the South China Sea, and millions of people depend on these waters for their food and livelihoods. All this will occur in a region that is increasingly the vibrant center of the world economy. 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. Chinas rising military power and political influence is generating anxiety and suspicion among some of its neighbours and western powers. As . 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. Without the southern American presence, Chinese forces could more easily divide American forces east and west in the event of a crisis, more easily defend territorial claims or intimidate Malaysia and Indonesia, and more easily threaten maritime and air traffic crisscrossing the South China Sea. In the contemporary era, Taiwan remains geographically at the intersection of most of East Asia's danger points. In 2010, the US declared its freedom of navigation in the SCS to be a national interest in response to Chinas increasingly assertive posture. The three core areas that must be defended and secured are the Malay Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak. Follow the Asia Program on Twitter @AsiaProgram. 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. 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. Does US-hegemonic decline translate into a fight between democracy and autocracy in maintaining a benign world order? 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. 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. 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. The USA have a direct connection to the area through various allies, connections and trade, and this will naturally continue. The two countries elevated bilateral ties to an extensive strategic partnership in 2013 and Japan is in the midst of donating to Vietnam six patrol vessels (for use by the coast guard and fisheries ministry). 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. 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. The United States has been less successful in supporting local partners as they resist Chinese coercion. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. . It remains entirely plausible that any Chinese strategy could have a long term goal of possessing the power to deny US or western warships access to the SCS, with China largely laying claim to most of the area as it's own waters. 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 . 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. The United States should intensify capacity building efforts with allies and partners to improve their ability to resist Chinese coercion. In the past two weeks, Filipino . The USSJohn C. Stennistied up there for a few days in April. 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 sea is rich in resources and holds significant strategic and political importance. 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. Report 1. More and more, we see a particularly aggressive maritime stance from China towards NATO warships when exercising freedom of navigation through the SCS. Seventh Fleet patrolled the regions seaways, including the South China Sea, unchallenged including agreed access to ports throughout much of the region. 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. In April, Australian Defence Force personnel joined the U.S.-Philippines Balikatan maneuvers, which included an amphibious landing exercise. With a maturing coast guard, navy and air force, Vietnam will become an increasingly prickly foe. 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. 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. Last year, the construction projects covered 72 acres. 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. Most of China's contested land borders were remote areas with few people, natural resources or clear military utility. 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. Certainly, the ongoing reform process and the opening of relations with the United States amount to a strategic setback for Chinas position in the region. The credibility of U.S. security support for allies and partners will be shredded. Ownership claims to them are used to bolster claims to the surrounding sea and its resources. In addition, tensions have been raised with the Philippines after assertive Chinese naval patrols which they described as aggressive action. The sea-lanes that pass through the South China Sea are the busiest, most important, maritime waterways in the world. Pressing Challenges to U.S. Army Acquisition: A Conversation with Hon. In addition, it has proved oil and gas reserves, so the sovereignty of the disputed islands involves legal rights to exploit its resources. There were, however, cautionary signs for those prepared to see them. The annual Cobra Gold exercise is Asias largest multilateral military exercise. 2016 The Arbitration Tribunal rules in favor of the Philippines. For example, targeted sanctions on Chinese companies involved in destabilizing activities could be considered. What is the Strategic Importance of the South China Sea? The power politics, military interests created the South China Sea more important. Therefore, the SCS has geopolitical and geostrategic importance for the energy and economic security of China and East Asian countries; but also for the USA as $1.2 trillion of its trade moves through the waters. The two major power of the world i.e. No other state in the region can match this increase in projection and rival China due to the economic differences. Washingtons relationship with Hanoi will make that more palatable. "First, South China Sea is important for the strategic patrol of Chinese SSBN [nuclear ballistic missile submarine], which needs to enter west Pacific Ocean for its nuclear . The strategic landscape of the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia in the early 1990s was remarkably benign with optimism in full flower. But the South China Sea has been dangerously overfished. 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. Sun Tzu Explains China's Shaping Operations in the South China Sea. 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. With Burma internationally isolated for much of the past three decades, Beijing invested heavily in that countrys leadership. 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. China has steadily built capabilities and infrastructure, most notably military facilities on artificial islands, that enable greater control of the South China Sea. Select Accept to consent or Reject to decline non-essential cookies for this use. These actions suggest that China might undermine freedom of navigation and overflight, principles of fundamental importance to the United States. It has deep ties with the military, which still dominates key parts of the government, and is a major player in the economy. 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. 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. As one of the busiest trade routes in the world and home to a wealth of marine and mineral resources, the South China Sea holds great economic and geostrategic importance. In each of these arenas, a successful Chinese effort to seize control of the South China Sea will have a profound impact and each is worth elaboration. 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. 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. Cobra Gold, hosted by Thailand and led by the United States, is the largest annual multilateral military exercise in Asia. The third will assess the policies/strategies currently employed by the United States in this arena as well as other plausible options. The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea is an international treaty that sets out importantmaritime rules. This button displays the currently selected search type. Countries across the region prioritized economic growth and modernization. A critical and early Chinese test of U.S. resolve is likely to come in the South China Sea, where Washington has struggled to respond effectively to assertive Chinese behavior. Unfortunately, the allies now lack a shared strategic outlook, thus reducing the impetus to overcome recent bilateral political hurdles. 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. 2013 The Philippines challenges Chinas claims of historic rights and other actions in an arbitration case under the Law of the Sea Convention. April 26, 2016 There is widespread interest in the rising tensions over the waters east of China. 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. The strategically important South China Sea is an increasingly prominent stage for the spiraling tensions . In such a complex environment, it is important to have well-established, recognizable rules of international law. China is undertaking a persistent, long-term effort to establish control over the South China Sea. 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. 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 U.S. militarys enhanced ability to loiter in and over the South China Sea, moreover, will facilitate more effective efforts to track Chinese submarines sailing from the PLANs underground naval base on Hainan island. This is the first of three short essays examining the South China Sea as a first order strategic problem for the United States. In addition, this thesis intends to propose a solution to the dispute by pulling from a variety of sources. Beyond that, there are a variety of formal security cooperation agreements with Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The longstanding U.S. position that it takes no position on sovereignty disputes over land features in the South China Sea, while insisting that these disputes be resolved in a peaceful fashion and in accordance with international law, is sound and should be maintained. 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. More importantly, it also covers the most crucial energy routes for East Asian countries to transport oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf. 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. While consistency in U.S. messaging and policy execution is important, it should be balanced by carefully calculated unpredictability in operations and tactics to prevent Beijing from becoming overly confident in its ability to anticipate U.S. reactions. Miguel . The South China Sea is one of the most important trade pathways in the world. US still mired in a 'Cold War' mindset, but the tide's turning, The West is misreading Chinas Party Congress at the peril of world stability, Can Foreign Investors still have Good Reasons to be Optimistic about China? 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. The United States needs to consider a wider variety of non-military responses to Chinas efforts to control the South China Sea, and more effectively build a local coalition to support these responses. or join us on Facebook. 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). India has likewise pursued deeper defense ties with Vietnam, and Indian warships just made port calls at Cam Ranh Bay and Subic Bay while en route to trilateral naval exercises with the United States and Japan in the Western Pacific. TheSouth China Seais one of the most important economic and environmental regions in the world. China is already providing indications of how it might act when it controls the South China Sea. China is working hard to bring under its control the water, islands, rocks and reefs that sit within its imaginary nine-dash line. Firstly, the South China Sea is a prominent shipping passage with $5.3 trillion worth of . economic importance associated with the ocean is tremendous and manifold. LinkedIn and 3rd parties use essential and non-essential cookies to provide, secure, analyze and improve our Services, and to show you relevant ads (including professional and job ads) on and off LinkedIn. 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.

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