strategic importance of south china sea

The South China Sea (SCS) has great strategic and economic significance in the contemporary international politico-security environment. From a strategic perspective, the geographical significance of the SCS is that whoever has dominance over it, dominates the future of East Asia. The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea is an international treaty that sets out importantmaritime rules. The United States can, if necessary, accept a continental Southeast Asia that leans China without major concern for Americas primary interests. 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. 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. Firstly, the South China Sea is a prominent shipping passage with $5.3 trillion worth of . Nevertheless, for America, this new world will be profoundly discomfiting and even alien. That line was given little credence or attention in the U.S. or in Asia over the first five decades of the PRCs history. The United States can do more to leverage its alliances in Asia to raise the costs of Chinese efforts to undermine the regional order. In the past two weeks, Filipino . The main route to and from Pacific and Indian ocean ports is through the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. First, the United States should feel more confident to pressure the junta on human rights concerns. the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States." Chinese control of the SCS-and, more generally, Chinese domination of China's near-seas region, meaning the SCS, the East China Sea (ECS), and the Yellow Sea-could substantially aect U.S. strategic, political, and economic interests in the Indo-Pacic region and . The South China Sea is a core interest of both Vietnam and China. The Strategic Importance of the South China Sea. It has deep ties with the military, which still dominates key parts of the government, and is a major player in the economy. American littoral combat ships are rotating through Singapore, at the South China Seas western extremis, and the city-state has also quietly built the only Asian port outside of Yokohama at which an American aircraft carrier can dock. From the report. The United States, moreover, should work with its other Pacific alliesAustralia, South Korea and especially Japanto consider ways that they can lead efforts to expand infrastructure investment in Southeast Asia, perhaps by reforming and enlarging the Asian Development Bank or by launching a joint infrastructure investment fund. Hence, the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. However, there were a number of reasons to conclude that the line was no cartographic anomaly; it was an official indication of Beijings contention that the sovereign territory of China included the South China Sea. Close allies such as Australia and Japan have a great deal to offer in terms of capability and capacity, and should be encouraged to do more. 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. We will defend freedom of the seas and skies.. In December, another joint China-Russia naval exercise was held in the East China Sea (China Military Online, December 21, 2022). 1. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This is the first of three short essays examining the South China Sea as a first order strategic problem for the United States. 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. The area is globally important for a few reasons. The three core areas that must be defended and secured are the Malay Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak. U.S. access to the South China Sea is coming under increasing threat as Chinese power increases, but can be preserved if the United States maintains a sufficient military advantage over China. China, too, considers control of these waters to be of high strategic importance. US still mired in a 'Cold War' mindset, but the tide's turning, The West is misreading Chinas Party Congress at the peril of world stability, Can Foreign Investors still have Good Reasons to be Optimistic about China? Should those ties continue to expand, moreover, the United States may find that it has greater flexibility in dealing with a vexing regional ally: Thailand. India will lose its current freedom of access into the South China Sea and much of Southeast Asia. Last year, the construction projects covered 72 acres. To facilitate capacity building, Washington should preserve regional defense relationships while recognizing that the ability of the United States to partner with frontline states depends on their cooperation and adherence to good governance and human rights. 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. You are approaching Chinese airspace. The region also is the subject of more than a dozen overlapping and interconnected disputes over who is in charge of the various islands, rocks, shoals and reefs scattered throughout the South China Sea waters. "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 . 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. 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 . When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. 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. As building of military facilities continued in 2015, the US explicitly announced its opposition to these constructions and tasked surveillance assets to conduct over flights in the SCS and significantly raised tensions. In 2010, the US declared its freedom of navigation in the SCS to be a national interest in response to Chinas increasingly assertive posture. Talks are focused on articles that are relevant to disaster relief, but the agreements eventual parameters could expand as the U.S.-Vietnam security relationship matures. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and. The power politics, military interests created the South China Sea more important. Nevertheless, Beijing had taken its first overt step to control the South China Sea. Check out the linked article on the Belt and road initiative now. Conservation values protection of marine habitat against wanton, unnecessary despoliation are also essential. It is a rich source of hydrocarbons and natural resources. 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. The "Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand" (SCS SAP Project) completed its Inception Phase with the 1st Steering Committee Meeting held online on the 29 and 30 of June, 2021 with official representatives from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam and the UNEP Task Manager for the project, with the support of . World. Such access would complement the renewed U.S. presence in the Philippines; facilitate a regular American presence in the western part of the South China Sea; enable the United States to more easily defendor seal upthe Malacca Strait; and, it should be noted, put American forces within striking distance of major Chinese bases on Hainan, including port facilities that host Chinas ballistic missile submarines. Meanwhile, Japan is providing ten new multi-role vessels to the Philippine Coast Guard; Manila is also interested in procuring used P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Tokyo. These straws-in-the-wind gained strategic context because the PRC had long published official maps showing a boundary encompassing almost the entire South China Sea the nine-dash line.. economic importance associated with the ocean is tremendous and manifold. India has proactively engaged in the South China Sea (SCS), notably via boosting its naval presence and forging ties with Vietnam despite China's aggression. Since the mid-1990s, China has pursued a strategy . 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. Media Relations Manager, External Relations. The diplomatic tempest at the ARF came when U.S. security attention was preoccupied with ongoing military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the global counterterrorism campaign with Osama bin Laden still at large. through South China Sea Port is 1400 kms long. Preserving the U.S. military edge is key to maintaining the U.S. position in Asia. Almost all the East Asian countries are dependent on this sea. See Media Page for more interview, contact, and citation details. The United States emerged from World War II as a resident great power in East Asia. The second will analyze the strategic landscape in and around the South China Sea. Most of China's global trade is seaborne. In . China sought access to natural resources, to political influence and to a strategic maritime position in the Bay of Bengal. 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. and Amy Searight. Current developments in the South China Sea must be understood against the backdrop of recent history. In particular, Chinas growing assertiveness over sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea could be assessed as a serious challenge to the status quo in the region. It remains entirely plausible that any Chinese strategy could have a long term goal of possessing the power to deny US or western warships access to the SCS, with China largely laying claim to most of the area as it's own waters. 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. Countering Chinas efforts has become a key test of perceived U.S. commitment to many in the region. But as it does so, it acts as midwife to a very real strategic realignment in Southeast Asia, one which promises to benefit the United States and its partners. Unfortunately, the allies now lack a shared strategic outlook, thus reducing the impetus to overcome recent bilateral political hurdles. What is the Strategic Importance of the South China Sea? U.S. goals to uphold regional alliances and partnerships, defend international rules and norms, and maintain a productive relationship with China remain valid. Recent satellite analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows that Chinese fishing fleets are engaged in paramilitary work on behalf of the state rather than the commercial enterprise of fishing, the organization reported. The Obama administrations decision to lift the decades-old arms embargo on Vietnam is instrumental here. Does US-hegemonic decline translate into a fight between democracy and autocracy in maintaining a benign world order? What evidence is there of increased projection of Maritime Power? 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. South China Sea and possible options. 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). Thats why the United States has urged countries to resolve maritime claim disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law. Diplomatic, informational, legal, and economic responses are currently underrepresented in U.S. China policy, and their incorporation into the policy toolkit will be important for successfully dissuading China over the long-term. These women are creating climate solutions, One year later: Democracy stands in Ukraine. That should, of course, remain the goal, but Washington must recognize that Thailand is in the midst of a decade-long political crisis, which is unlikely to be resolved until after King Bhumibols passing and the royal succession is completed. The Tribunal rejects Chinas maritime claims that go beyond the entitlements set out in the Law of the Sea Convention.