The strategic importance of the South China Sea cannot be overstated. U.S. allies and partners in the region are drawing lessons from Chinese coercive behavior and the limited U.S. response to it, and some are beginning to doubt U.S. resolve and adjust their foreign policies in response. Japanese Expert Explains Why China Wants Absolute Control Over The 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. 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. 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. Chinas military modernization has included structural reforms establishing a Joint Operations Command and five new theatre commands (Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western and Central). 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. 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. through South China Sea Port is 1400 kms long. 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. In 2010, the US declared its freedom of navigation in the SCS to be a national interest in response to Chinas increasingly assertive posture. This order embodies certain foundational political principles respect for international law, preservation of the real sovereign independence of regional states, a refusal to legitimate unilateral territorial expansion, and the unconditional acceptance of the sea-lanes as a global commons. The security assurances provided by the U.S. military presence coupled with the advent of regional institutions, notably ASEAN and the Asian Development Bank, nurtured that growth. 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". As maritime security such as safety and freedom of . 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. STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF SOUTH CHINA SEA - academia.edu 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. Tokyo and Manila agreed to a strategic partnership in 2011. China's Art of Strategic Incrementalism in the South China Sea Center for Strategic and International Studies Current developments in the South China Sea must be understood against the backdrop of recent history. 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. 1994 The Convention on the Law of the Sea goes into effect. 2013 The Philippines challenges Chinas claims of historic rights and other actions in an arbitration case under the Law of the Sea Convention. 2023 Center for Strategic & International Studies. In a meeting attended by the foreign ministers of 26 nations from the broader region, Clinton simply asserted that the South China Sea was subject to multiple territorial claims and a multinational mechanism should be established to find a peaceful diplomatic solution. Chinese missiles on the mainland already hold all U.S. Asian bases at risk. by M A Hossain 3 March 2023 The geostrategic significance of Bangladesh derives from its strategic location at the crossroads of South and Southeast Asia, endowing it with a pivotal role in the re By the mid-1990s, relations with Vietnam had begun a rapidly improvement. China's strategic reach into the South China Sea has obvious and profound implications for three sets of international actors: (1) the littoral Southeast Asian states (Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines); (2) major maritime countries heavily dependent on the sea lanes through the South China Sea (including Japan, Korea, and In 1989 troops from the Peoples Liberation Army entered Tiananmen Square and terminated the student-led democracy demonstrations and hundreds died. The Obama administrations decision to lift the decades-old arms embargo on Vietnam is instrumental here. WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the disputed South China Sea has a strategic significance for the international community and any "unlawful" restriction on the freedom of the seas will destabilise peace in the Asia-Pacific region. Shortly after the ARF concluded, an official spokesman for the Chinese Defense Ministry asserted Chinas indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. economic importance associated with the ocean is tremendous and manifold. China and The Four Views Strategy - Modern Diplomacy All this will occur in a region that is increasingly the vibrant center of the world economy. 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. What evidence is there of increased projection of Maritime Power? Finally, the United States should prioritize governance issues in its relations with Southeast Asian states. In other words, his primary concern is that the rivalry over the South China Sea could derail Beijing's strong strategic focus on the Taiwan issue.25 Academic perspectives on the South China Sea are important and may actually be quite influential. Beijing has also been careful to avoid estranging Aung San Suu Kyi and adopted a largely pragmatic approach to the countrys transition away from authoritarian rule. All Rights Reserved, Japans Emerging Role as the Worlds Consensus Builder, Balancing Acts in U.S. Southeast Asia Policy, Pakistans Foreign Policy Priorities: A Conversation with Foreign Minister by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Indias Economic Ambitions in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Paving the Path to Soft Power: Crucial Moments in South Koreas Cultural Policies, Afghanistan: The United States Must Stay Engaged. 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. China remains uncompromising on sovereignty, has increased its capability to enforce its de facto control in disputed areas, and has sought to advance its claims while staying below the threshold for direct military conflict with the United States. 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 Important? - Money Morning 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. In sum, the United States has built and maintained a dense network of security links and obligations throughout East and Southeast Asia all sustained by regular contact with the Seventh Fleet as it transits the region via the South China Sea. The credibility of U.S. security support for allies and partners will be shredded. 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 . In 2012, Vietnam and the Philippines sought to consolidate their partnership and alliance with the US in order to enhance their strategic position over SCS disputes. 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. Media Relations Manager, External Relations. Sign up to receive The Evening, a daily brief on the news, events, and people shaping the world of international affairs. Instead, perceptions of weakness may encourage leaders in Beijing to embrace more assertive behavior. China, however, must now balance its continental concerns, which remain complex, against its new dependence on the maritime domain. 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. In addition to fishing grounds, the South China Sea contains an abundance of energy resources, . Such pressure should focus on concrete, near-term objectives, such as putting a stop to reeducation of regime critics. Yet, it was and is all of that. February 27, 2023. The post-war regional order. The SCS is passage of half of the world trade. The Strategic Importance of the South China Sea | Geollect Any such assertion must rest on an understanding that critical U.S. national interests, including both economic and security interests, are at stake and at risk. "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 . 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. 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 addition, it has proved oil and gas reserves, so the sovereignty of the disputed islands involves legal rights to exploit its resources. And thus a new strategic map of Asia begins to emerge. 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. The South China Sea (SCS) has great strategic and economic significance in the contemporary international politico-security environment. Other claimant states welcome U.S. involvement precisely because Washington does not favor one claimants territorial ambitions over those of the others. Select Accept to consent or Reject to decline non-essential cookies for this use. China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea - Real Instituto The geopolitical message was unmistakable: Western expectations that China was transitioning toward political democracy were entirely illusory. What is the strategic importance of the South China Sea. U.S. leaders should not be afraid of tension in the U.S.-China relationship. The United States has leverage over China in areas not directly related to South China Sea and may have to consider using or threatening to use these tools to stabilize the regional order. Ownership claims to them are used to bolster claims to the surrounding sea and its resources. What has been happening in the South China Sea and what do experts Situation in the South China Sea - ASEAN Main Portal 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. 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. It would also open the option of persistently jamming Chinese radar installations in the Spratlys. or join us on Facebook. Report 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 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. 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. Since the mid-1990s, China has pursued a strategy . Guidelines for a South China Sea Strategy. 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. In addition to far flung island territories (formerly occupied by Japan) in the South Pacific, the United States had a substantial military garrison in Japan and close ties with South Korea and the Philippines a former colony. China, Asia, and the Changing Strategic Importance of the Gulf and MENA 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. These same sea-lanes are a vital military artery as the U.S. Even if Beijings island-building campaign succeeds in turning the South China Sea into a Chinese lake, it will be one in which Chinese forces are constantly monitored and from which they can only depart with implicit American acquiescence. South China Sea Dispute - History, Causes & Consequences for UPSC Chinese fighter jet flies within 500 feet of U.S. patrol over South The refusal, likely prompted by Beijing, might seem to be just another way for China to put pressure on Taiwan, which it has long regarded as a renegade province. 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 . China perceives Vietnam as an obstacle for acquiring its control over this strategic sea. 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. Less sexy but no less important is a forthcoming arrangement by which Vietnam will allow the United States military to preposition supplies and equipment in Da Nang on the central coast. Geopolitical platform, analysis of political, military, security, economic, social events with international and geopolitics relevance. The South China Sea in Strategic Terms | Wilson Center India will lose its current freedom of access into the South China Sea and much of Southeast Asia. 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. 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. Why is the South China Sea contentious? - BBC News The neighboring South East Asian countries of the highly volatile and busiest waterways of the South China Sea (SCS) have overlapping claims of sovereignty. The area is globally important for a few reasons. The same cannot be said for China and a maritime Southeast Asia that aligns with the United States. The USA have a direct connection to the area through various allies, connections and trade, and this will naturally continue. 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. 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. The Asia Program promotes policy debate and intellectual discussions on U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific as well as political, economic, security, and social issues relating to the worlds most populous and economically dynamic region. What is the Strategic Importance of the South China Sea? During the George W. Bush administration, U.S. forces in the Philippines were focused primarily on aiding the Philippine military in its counterterror fight. At the economic front, it is estimated that an annual global trade of $5.3 trillion passes through the SCS. 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 my mind, this leads to 3 key questions to base any form of analysis from: 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. 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China's Maritime Choke Points - Geopolitical Futures Why the Arctic is Not the 'Next' South China Sea Marcos Jr. had previously said his country would pursue oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea even without a deal with China, which claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South . Pexels India-China Indo-Pacific South China Sea Signalling is important international relations. access to Thailands military facilities, particularly the strategically located and well-equipped Utapao airbase, is considered invaluable. Preserving the U.S. military edge is key to maintaining the U.S. position in Asia. More and more, we see a particularly aggressive maritime stance from China towards NATO warships when exercising freedom of navigation through the SCS. The Strategic Importance of the South China Sea - academia.edu China has shown the most considerable increase in projection of power from all the states surrounding the SCS. The USSJohn C. Stennistied up there for a few days in April. 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 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. Despite all that, Beijing now faces a competition with Washington (and Delhi and Tokyo) for influence in Naypyidaw. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and. Total fish stocks have been depleted by 70 to 95 percent since the 1950s. US and China is engaging in this sea to control all significance. '3 reasons' China tries to control South China Sea - Anadolu Ajans Geo-Strategic Significance And Importance Of South China Sea For China Southeast Asia will inevitably be rendered subordinate and compliant to Chinas will. The growing size and capability of the Chinese air force, navy, and coast guard allow Beijing to consistently monitor and exercise de facto control over most of the South China Sea. Vivian Balakrishnan urges US and China to de-escalate tensions in (PDF) Strategic Importance of Gwadar Port - ResearchGate China is working hard to bring under its control the water, islands, rocks and reefs that sit within its imaginary nine-dash line. More importantly, it also covers the most crucial energy routes for East Asian countries to transport oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf. 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. If Chinese coercion goes unchallenged by the United States, it will send a dangerous signal about the strength of the U.S. alliance system and lessen the appeal of the United States as a security partner. . 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 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. That claim remained shrouded in a calculated fog of ambiguity until 2010 when Secretary of State Clinton addressed the status of the South China Sea and its sea-lanes at a meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Hanoi. Besides, more than half of the world's fishing vessels pass through the SCS. The risk to Chinese power projection lies predominantly with US interests. Figure 4 shows the overlapping sovereignty claims in the SCS, with Chinas claims according to the 9 dash line doctrine in red. TheSouth China Seais one of the most important economic and environmental regions in the world. The strategic signal of an Indian presence in the South China Sea China has steadily built capabilities and infrastructure, most notably military facilities on artificial islands, that enable greater control of the South China Sea. The Growing Importance of Vietnam to India's South China Sea Policy South China Sea - Wikipedia Anti-China alliance coalescing in South China Sea - Asia Times The United States also faces a challenge in enforcing international law in the South China Sea. There were, however, cautionary signs for those prepared to see them. The United States emerged from World War II as a resident great power in East Asia. An Analysis of the South China Sea Dispute: Focusing on the Assessment From busiest . 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). In short, adopting a more robust deterrence approach need not prevent cooperation that is in the interests of both countries. Few in Washington were inclined to see the South China Sea as a strategic priority engaging vital U.S. national interests. How that competition will evolve remains to be seen, but the very fact of the contest should be understood as a reversal of fortune for China. The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea is an international treaty that sets out importantmaritime rules. It is a rich source of hydrocarbons and natural resources. The three core areas that must be defended and secured are the Malay Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak. 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. That redundancy will grant the United States flexibility in a couple of ways. Journals and books. 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). 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. 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.. India is training crews for Vietnams new Kilo-class submarines and will sell Vietnam BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Chinese Naval Strategy in the South China Sea: An Abundance of Noise 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. China sought access to natural resources, to political influence and to a strategic maritime position in the Bay of Bengal. 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. 1. 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.