Making Waves: Recent Developments of the South China Sea Disputes

A potential crisis of significant magnitude may be imminent on the rocks of the South China Sea (SCS), where state sovereignty and geopolitics converge. These tensions could increase the risk of confrontation, undermine regional stability, and damage neighborly relations. As observed by many, sovereignty disputes in the SCS entail more than simply who owns what particular geologic and geographic features. They involve fishing rights, shipping lanes, oil and natural gas reserves, maritime environment and security. These contested maritime zones have led to significant tensions in the region and great concerns for nations using the shipping lanes for international trade. These quarrels are also linked to rising nationalism in every claimant nation. Disagreements have proven difficult to resolve, despite decades of attempts to do so. At the heart of the dispute are ownership of land features and the types of rules to apply in resolving the disputes, because rules determine results. The continued tensions have restrained policies among nations involved, and made interactions difficult at times. To further complicate matters, nations have started to reclaim land to expand their control at others’ expense. In a vivid way to demonstrate how dynamic the “status quo” in the SCS is, this paper surveys the latest developments in the region and analyzes different attitudes and responses from various capitals to actions in the SCS in recent years. Competing interests are investigated to gauge each claimant’s strategies. Considering the complexity of overlapping claims involved, it calls for dialogue for a peaceful diplomatic solution