Back النزاعات الإقليمية في بحر الصين الجنوبي Arabic Conflicte territorial a la mar de la Xina meridional Catalan Territorialkonflikte im Südchinesischen Meer German Εδαφικές διαφορές στη Θάλασσα της Νότιας Κίνας Greek Conflicto territorial en el mar de la China meridional Spanish Territoriaalvaidlused Lõuna-Hiina meres Estonian اختلافات سرزمینی در دریای جنوبی چین Persian Etelä-Kiinan meren aluekiista Finnish Conflit en mer de Chine méridionale French סכסוכים טריטוריאליים בים סין הדרומי HE

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea involve conflicting island and maritime claims in the South China Sea made by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the People's Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan (Republic of China/ROC), and Vietnam. The disputes involve the islands, reefs, banks, and other features of the region, including the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, Scarborough Shoal, and various boundaries in the Gulf of Tonkin. The waters near the Indonesian Natuna Islands, which some regard as geographically part of the South China Sea, are disputed as well.

An estimated US$3.37 trillion worth of global trade passes through the South China Sea annually,[1] which accounts for a third of the global maritime trade.[2] 80 percent of China's energy imports and 39.5 percent of China's total trade passes through the South China Sea.[1] Claimant states are interested in retaining or acquiring the rights to fishing stocks, the exploration and potential exploitation of crude oil and natural gas in the seabed of various parts of the South China Sea, and the strategic control of important shipping lanes. Maritime security is also an issue, as the ongoing disputes present challenges for shipping.[3]

According to researchers, claims to any of the features were not seriously made until the 19th or the early 20th century.[4][5] The Paracel Islands, currently occupied by China, are contested by Taiwan and Vietnam. The Spratly Islands are claimed by all three, where Vietnam occupies the greatest number of features and Taiwan occupies the largest, Taiping Island. Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines also claim some of the features in the island chain.[6] By the 1970s, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam had militarily occupied one or more of the Spratly Islands.[7] By 2015, the PRC had established 8 outposts, Malaysia 5, the Philippines 8, Taiwan 1, and Vietnam 48.[8]

For decades, the Philippines and Vietnam were the most active in building artificial islands in the area,[9][10] but from 2014 to 2016 China's construction activity outpaced them.[11] By 2023, China had reclaimed around five square miles with its artificial islands, at least one of which housed military equipment.[12][6]

China's actions in the South China Sea have been criticized as part of its "salami slicing"/"cabbage wrapping" strategies.[13][14] Since 2015, the United States and other states such as France and the United Kingdom have conducted freedom of navigation operations (FONOP) in the region.[15] A 2016 arbitration tribunal, without determining the sovereignty of any of the islands, concluded that China lacks historical titles to the maritime areas within the nine-dash line. The ruling was rejected by both the PRC and ROC.

  1. ^ a b "How much trade transits the South China Sea?". China Power. Center for Strategic and International Studies. 2 August 2017. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Review of Maritime Transport 2018" (PDF). United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. New York. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  3. ^ Maritime Security – A comprehensive Guide for Shipowners, Seafarers and Administrations. Livingston: Witherby Publishing Group and the International Chamber of Shipping. 2021. p. 13. ISBN 9781913997014.
  4. ^ "2022/25 "How to Solve the South China Sea Disputes" by Bill Hayton". www.iseas.edu.sg. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  5. ^ Tønnesson, Stein (2002). "The Paracels: The "Other" South China Sea Dispute". Asian Perspective. 26 (4): 145–169. ISSN 0258-9184. JSTOR 42704389.
  6. ^ a b Dolven, Ben; Campbell, Caitlin; O'Rourke, Ronald (21 August 2023). "China Primer: South China Sea Disputes". Congressional Research Service.
  7. ^ "FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES, 1969–1976, VOLUME E–12, DOCUMENTS ON EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, 1973–1976". Archived from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  8. ^ Xu, Qinduo (20 May 2015). "Exposing US hypocrisy on South China Sea island reclamation". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Statement of david shear" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Vietnam Quietly Builds Up 10 Islands in South China Sea". Voice of America. April 2019. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  11. ^ "China Island Tracker". Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative. Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  12. ^ Johnson, William (11 May 2016). "Everything you need to know about the South China Sea conflict – in under five minutes". Reuters. Archived from the original on 27 March 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  13. ^ Chatterji, SK (22 October 2020). "Wider connotations of Chinese 'salami slicing'". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  14. ^ "China's Expanding Cabbage Strategy". The Diplomat. 29 October 2014. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  15. ^ Freund, Eleanor. "Freedom of Navigation in the South China Sea: A Practical Guide". Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.

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