As is the case with most analysis of China’s international relations, much of the discourse surrounding Beijing’s approach to the South China Sea (SCS) fails to accurately diagnose the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ideological and strategic underpinnings. As the dust settles following China’s June 17 confrontation with the Philippines over Second Thomas Shoal, U.S. policymakers must understand what drives the CCP—and its approach to the SCS—in order to develop a sound strategy that advances U.S. interests in this critical body of water.
What is the SCS and Why Does It Matter?
The South China Sea is a hotly contested waterway in Southeast Asia. Six governments claim portions of the Sea: China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei. Most disputes are over maritime features in the Spratly and Paracel Islands groups, which are strategically located for military and resource exploration purposes. Since four of the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members are SCS claimants, ASEAN has been engaged in a decades-long negotiation with China on implementing a Code-of-Conduct for the SCS. However, differing interests within ASEAN hamstring the organization’s unity, complicating negotiations with Beijing. The almost century-long conflict over SCS sovereignty between various stakeholders stems from the Sea’s strategic and economic significance.
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