ALASAN CHINA BERUPAYA MENYELESAIKAN KONFLIK LAUT CHINA SELATAN MELALUI PENDEKATAN DIPLOMASI BILATERAL

In the South China Sea conflict, it was agreed through the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in 2002 to resolve the conflict peacefully. However, from various persuasive strategies, China wants this conflict to be resolved through a bilateral diplomacy approach. The purpose of this study is to analyze China's reasons for resolving the South China Sea conflict through a bilateral diplomatic approach. The author uses the foreign policy theory by John P. Lovell in 1970. This research method used is explanative with a level of analysis in the nation-state. The data collection technique that the writer uses is literature study. The results of this study explain that China has put forward a bilateral diplomacy approach in resolving the SCS conflict because China wants to create safe conditions for its country in disputed areas, namely through a leadership strategy interaction pattern. Leadership strategy is a controling position that promotes persuasion and bargaining strategies. Countries with big power will act as supervisors and countries with less power will only become supporters. China wants to be in that position because China's nine dash line law is not recognized internationally so China have to be in a safe position and its interests in the South China Sea can still be achieved. Through the bilateral approach, China can make this happen because China’s power is superior to each of the other claimant states