The South China Sea Conflict (Essay Sample)

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The South China Sea Conflict
Introduction
In the modern day, territorial conflicts cause many problems among countries. It also brings tension in foreign policies hence bad relations between countries. One of the major conflicts seen today is the China Sea dispute, which involves China and other six ASEAN countries. The intervention of the United States made the issue even worse by attracting major concerns from the international community. This paper seeks to understand the conflict about South China Sea involving territory and sovereignty of the countries involved.
The South China Sea conflict
The Southeast Asian region boasts of islands and a body of water that has been disputed for a very long time. The name “China sea” does not imply that these islands and waters belong to china, rather it is an international term given because of its proximity to China. In this case, the sea covers territories belonging to Vietnam, China, Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia and many other countries. There are over 200 islands not inhabited by people within the sea. These islands contain useful resources which have aroused the interest of all the counties neighboring them. There have been three major disputes regarding territories in the South China Sea. These include the conflict over Paracel Islands, which are claimed by Vietnam and China but currently occupied by China. There are Spratly Islands claimed by Taiwan, Vietnam and China. Malaysia, Brunei and Philippines also claim them. Currently, the islands are occupied by all the above countries except Brunei. The last dispute is over Scarborough Shoal. These islands are claimed by Philippines, Taiwan and China. Because the sea surrounds many countries, not a single country can claim authority over it.
This conflict brings about a lot of questions as to the laws of sea, and the ownership rights of resources on an international scale. For example, the South China Sea is considered to be of great interest because it is a maritime superhighway. This implies that about 50% of merchant tonnage goes through the South China Sea. This suggests the amount of revenue in tax involved in the sea transport system if a country starts to collect. It is also said that 33% of oil produced in the world is conveyed through the South China Sea. Evidently, this would mean a lot of money involved if the most precious liquid (oil) passes through a country’s territorial sea. The location of the sea is also critical in many aspects. Research shows that by the year 2035, Asia will constitute 30% of oil demand globally up from the current 20%. The natural gas consumption of the continent is also expected to go up from the current 10% to 19%. All these expectations are hindered by the underlying dispute bringing about slow development. It is also argued that about 10 % of fish stocks globally are found in waters around the South China Sea. This shows the fishing potential of the sea thus improving the sea food industry.
All the land features of the Paraceal archipelago and Spratly islands are under the control of China.Historically, China claims that the findings of Chinese pottery in these islands were because of the Han Dynasty expeditions. These reasons became grounds to claim over these islands saying that their fore fathers’ pottery are proof that they lived in the islands and therefore they deserve to have them. After the Japan withdrew its interest in the South China Sea, the initial 11 -dash map was drawn which afterwards came to be known as the 9-dash map. The 9-dash map was seen to be ambiguous in many ways. The map claimed that China owns 100% of all the land features and 80% of South China Sea’s waters. The South China Sea was also claimed by Philippines. About 10 features in the Spratly archipelago and 43 other features in the Kalaya’an islands Group (KIG) are claimed by Philippines.
Philippines claims these islands on the grounds of the terra nullius treaty and other treaties previously signed. These claims began in the year 1947 some years before the KIG was officially integrated into the Philippines in 1978. Most of the islands that are claimed by Philippines participate in elections legalizing the claim of Philippines over these islands. Vietnam also has claims about South China Sea’s Paracel islands and occupying 21 land features in Spratly archipelag...