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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? The credibility of U.S. security support for allies and partners will be shredded. The security assurances provided by the U.S. military presence coupled with the advent of regional institutions, notably ASEAN and the Asian Development Bank, nurtured that growth. Washington (United States of America), February 27 (ANI): A Chinese J-11 fighter jet armed with air-to-air missiles intercepted the US Navy reconnaissance jet over the South China Sea, the Wall Street Journal reported. South China Sea has geo-strategic, geo-politic and geo-economic importance due to half of the world trade passage and presence of precious resources of oil and gas. Hanoi and Canberra have launched a number of security dialogues and are expanding personnel exchanges, ship visits and officer training. The largest and most powerful of these . It is unlikely that any states in the region possess the wealth and power to oppose this, although there is always a realistic possibility that they may receive backing from the USA if it is in their interests. The United States can stand firm on its principles and deter China from undermining the regional order while maintaining a productive relationship. That redundancy will grant the United States flexibility in a couple of ways. It has deep ties with the military, which still dominates key parts of the government, and is a major player in the economy. The U.S. militarys enhanced ability to loiter in and over the South China Sea, moreover, will facilitate more effective efforts to track Chinese submarines sailing from the PLANs underground naval base on Hainan island. Therefore, the SCS has geopolitical and geostrategic importance for the energy and economic security of China and East Asian countries; but also for the USA as $1.2 trillion of its trade moves through the waters. First, the United States should feel more confident to pressure the junta on human rights concerns. But if China continues to play its cards wrong and if the United States proves itself a dependable partner, American warships could one day regularly operate out of Cam Ranh Bay, the strategically located port-of-call, for the first time since the Vietnam War. Generally, oil and minerals move north, and food and manufactured goods move south. In . 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. The longstanding U.S. position that it takes no position on sovereignty disputes over land features in the South China Sea, while insisting that these disputes be resolved in a peaceful fashion and in accordance with international law, is sound and should be maintained. Walter Lohman hasdescribedCobra Gold as an achievement that has proved useful for military missions, such as joint patrols of vital sea lanes, and noncombat missions, such as disaster relief following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2008 Cyclone Nargis in Burma.. 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. 2016 The Arbitration Tribunal rules in favor of the Philippines. This principled stand allows the United States to defend its interests without embroiling itself in the murky sovereignty claims at the heart of the South China Sea dispute. The South China Sea is basically China's export waterway to Africa and to Europe (among other markets), but in order for China's enemy (aspiring conqueror), America, to harm and weaken China maximally, and to use the United Nations assisting in that aggression, America and its allies have cast this vital trade-waterway as being instead basically just an area to be exploited for oil and gas . In particular, Thailand has a much more benign outlook on Chinas rise and on its activities in the South China Sea, and although suggestions that Bangkok would dump Washington for Beijing are certainly overstated, Thai elites are hesitant to be drawn into what they see as a U.S. effort to contain the kingdoms largest trade partner. In October 2020, Hong Kong's air traffic control denied a Taiwanese flight access to Pratas Island, a Taiwan-occupied feature in the South China Sea. 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 . by M A Hossain 3 March 2023 The geostrategic significance of Bangladesh derives from its strategic location at the crossroads of South and Southeast Asia, endowing it with a pivotal role in the re The most important and least tangible stake in the South China Sea concerns the preservation (or not) of a regional rules-based order supported by U.S. power. Australia and Vietnam established a Comprehensive Partnership in 2009 and agreed to expand it in 2015. The two countries elevated bilateral ties to an extensive strategic partnership in 2013 and Japan is in the midst of donating to Vietnam six patrol vessels (for use by the coast guard and fisheries ministry). Washingtons relationship with Hanoi will make that more palatable. Dispersed American forces would act as countermeasure and would complicate defense planning for the Chinese military and political calculations for Beijing, while ensuring U.S. forces are positioned to support each other in the event of a crisis. The U.S.-Thai relationship has suffered since the 2006 coup that overthrew Thaksin Shinawatra and especially since the latest coup, which saw the military take control in 2014 and stubbornly cling to power. Importantly, the countries of maritime Southeast Asia are not aligning only with the United States, but with a grouping of external states concerned with the nature of Chinas rise. Guidelines for a South China Sea Strategy. multifaceted fiscal and strategic benefits, acting as a magnet for the regional as well as . February 27, 2023. From a strategic perspective, the geographical significance of the SCS is that whoever has dominance over it, dominates the future of East Asia. This article examines Chinas behaviour in the South China Sea disputes through the lens of its strategy for managing its claims. Russian long-range aviation, despite performing frequent combat missions against Ukraine, is also conducting Pacific patrols, sometimes together with Chinese H-6K strategic bombers (Nikkei Asia, November 30). The most likely single scenario for a major military engagement against a great power adversary would be one against China centered on the South China Sea. In a context of great power competition, the South China Sea (SCS) has emerged as an arena of U.S.-China strategic competition. The United States can do more to leverage its alliances in Asia to raise the costs of Chinese efforts to undermine the regional order. It is little surprise, then, that Southeast Asian states are drawing closer to the United Statesboth seeking aid in developing their own defense capabilities and hoping that stronger ties act as a deterrent to Chinese assertiveness. In addition, the United States has affirmed some responsibility for the defense of Taiwan and has close security ties with Singapore and New Zealand. The United States now has the opportunity to secure for another generation the peace that has held in Asia for nearly four decades now. It is the geostrategic importance that is usually the main reason for the parties to strengthen their claim over the Spratlys and the Paracels. This new strategic map of Southeast Asia actually began to take shape during the Bush administration, whichinitially launchedthe effort to move beyond Americas traditional hub-and-spokes alliance model in the Asia-Pacific. . Beijing may not find it quite as easy to run roughshod over Hanoi in the coming years. But the new maps contours truly began to crystallize earlier this year, when the Philippines Supreme Court ruled as constitutional a new defense agreement with the United States. The Obama administration has made modest gains in this regard, but it will be up for to the next president to seize that opportunity and ensure that Southeast Asias future is prosperous, peaceful and free. Narendra Modis Act East policy has resulted in an acceleration of burgeoning India-ASEAN ties and Indias position on the South China Sea territorial disputes essentially mirrors that of the United States. Countries across the region prioritized economic growth and modernization. In December, another joint China-Russia naval exercise was held in the East China Sea (China Military Online, December 21, 2022). 1994 The Convention on the Law of the Sea goes into effect. and Amy Searight. As one of the busiest trade routes in the world and home to a wealth of marine and mineral resources, the South China Sea holds great economic and geostrategic importance. Figure 4 shows the overlapping sovereignty claims in the SCS, with Chinas claims according to the 9 dash line doctrine in red. More than 50% of world trade passes through the Strait of Malacca, the Sunda Strait and Lombok Strait over the islands and waters of the South China Sea. Sign up to receive ShareAmerica updates. Chinas island outposts will increase this advantage as Chinese aircraft, ships, and paramilitary vessels will be able to rest and resupply in the southern portion of the South China Sea. As maritime security such as safety and freedom of . The message will be clear; the era of American international leadership and predominance is over and a new preeminent power has taken its place. Enduring U.S. interestsfreedom of navigation and overflight, support for the rules-based international order, and the peaceful resolution of disputesare at risk in the region. Michael Green, Senior Vice President for Asia and Japan Chair; Dr. Zack Cooper, Fellow, Japan Chair; Bonnie Glaser, Senior Adviser for Asia and Director, China Power Project; Andrew Shearer, Senior Adviser on Asia-Pacific Security; and Greg Poling, Director Asia Maritime Transparency Initiativeto provide the analytical context and some fundamental principles that should guide strategic thinking on South China Sea policy. The area includes several hundred small islands, rocks, and reefs, with the majority located in the Paracel and Spratly Island chains. In 2012, Vietnam and the Philippines sought to consolidate their partnership and alliance with the US in order to enhance their strategic position over SCS disputes. The United States has formally objected to Chinas South China Sea maritime claims. China sought access to natural resources, to political influence and to a strategic maritime position in the Bay of Bengal. In the past two weeks, Filipino . 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. The United States has an interest in seeing that these partners maintain their strategic autonomy, but capacity building efforts to help them resist coercion are not keeping pace with Chinas growing capabilities. In short, adopting a more robust deterrence approach need not prevent cooperation that is in the interests of both countries. 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. While consistency in U.S. messaging and policy execution is important, it should be balanced by carefully calculated unpredictability in operations and tactics to prevent Beijing from becoming overly confident in its ability to anticipate U.S. reactions. Over the longer term, American defense contractors may have their sights set on sales of fighter aircraft and attack helicopters. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. f) . U.S. policy in the South China Sea has been overly reliant on military options, which may not always be the most effective response. In 2016, they carried fully one-third of global shipping with an estimated value of $3.4 trillion. More than 50% of world trade passes. The result has been to heighten tensions and allow Chinese forces to more easily project military power across the region. Even if Beijings island-building campaign succeeds in turning the South China Sea into a Chinese lake, it will be one in which Chinese forces are constantly monitored and from which they can only depart with implicit American acquiescence. The Art of War helps expose the motivation behind past, current, and future Chinese actions. The two major power of the world i.e. 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. 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 . Not taking a position on sovereignty allows the United States to flexibly intervene in the South China Sea to defend its interests and international rules and norms, while undercutting Chinese attempts to paint U.S. actions as a threat to Beijings sovereignty. India has likewise pursued deeper defense ties with Vietnam, and Indian warships just made port calls at Cam Ranh Bay and Subic Bay while en route to trilateral naval exercises with the United States and Japan in the Western Pacific. The sea is rich in resources and holds significant strategic and political importance. The strategic signal of an Indian presence in the South China Sea Harsh V. Pant India has wider stakes in South China Sea as nearly 55% of India's trade with the Indo-Pacific region passes through these waters. The Korean War produced formal defense treaties with each of these countries plus a new, permanent military presence in South Korea. The Strategic Importance of the South China Sea (With reference to the geopolitical, economic, and military aspects) South China Sea is known as one of the most significant and dangerous cluster of Islands in the contemporary world. Aung San Suu Kyi has no interest in antagonizing Chinawhich shares a border with Burma and is a major source of foreign investmentbut nor can she afford to alienate the United States or India. The South China Sea is a strategic body of water bordering Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and China. It threatens the sovereignty of many nations and endangers the prosperity of the world. China tries to control the waters by using fishing vessels that are part of the Chinese maritime militia, coast guard ships, and naval vessels to harass other countries boats and deny access to this key area. Brunei's statement seems to present a unified front with the Philippines and Vietnam, in preparation for its ASEAN chairmanship in 2021, where ASEAN and China hope to finalise the formulation of the code of conduct to reduce tensions in the South China Sea. Peace Corps celebrates spirit of volunteerism, A distinctive sign language thrives among Black Americans, U.S. rescuers stand ready to find earthquake survivors, People across U.S. rush to aid Trkiye, Syria, Blinken pledges continued U.S. support for Trkiye, Syria, Meet the U.S. search teams who helped save lives in Trkiye, Fighting tropical diseases in the Pacific Islands, U.S. partners assist the Syrian people after earthquake, U.S. welcomes Indian students in record numbers, Indian American CEOs exemplify countries shared ambitions, The latest medical gadgets at U.S. tech show, Helping women in Vietnam become academic leaders, Ukraine: Before and after February 24, 2022, Russias re-education camps hold thousands of Ukraines children, report says. With Burma internationally isolated for much of the past three decades, Beijing invested heavily in that countrys leadership. No other state in the region can match this increase in projection and rival China due to the economic differences. If this sounds overstated or overwrought it is not. According to the U.S. State Department, it has been estimated that China is effectively blocking the development of $2.5 trillion worth of oil and gas resources in the South China Sea. China, too, considers control of these waters to be of high strategic importance. By the end of the 1970s, communist insurgencies outside Indochina had been effectively suppressed. Beijing has also been careful to avoid estranging Aung San Suu Kyi and adopted a largely pragmatic approach to the countrys transition away from authoritarian rule. China is undertaking a persistent, long-term effort to establish control over the South China Sea. Nevertheless, for America, this new world will be profoundly discomfiting and even alien. The conflict and tension over competing sovereignty claims in the South China Sea has grown considerably in the past 5-10 years. Less sexy but no less important is a forthcoming arrangement by which Vietnam will allow the United States military to preposition supplies and equipment in Da Nang on the central coast. Then again, China may see its efforts in the South China Sea blunted. The strategically important South China Sea is an increasingly prominent stage for the spiraling tensions . Marcos Jr. had previously said his country would pursue oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea even without a deal with China, which claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South . Total fish stocks have been depleted by 70 to 95 percent since the 1950s. Besides, more than half of the world's fishing vessels pass through the SCS. These factors combined give a strategic importance to the South China Sea that has led to numerous states Brunei, the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam each pressing their own claims to . The Obama administrations decision to lift the decades-old arms embargo on Vietnam is instrumental here. And thus a new strategic map of Asia begins to emerge. Seventh Fleet transits regularly between the Pacific and Indian Oceans (including the Bay of Bengal). America has formal defense/security alliances with five Asian countries: Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Australia. . The same cannot be said for China and a maritime Southeast Asia that aligns with the United States. The lifting of the arms embargo also opens the door to other forms of U.S.-Vietnam security cooperation. China has seized the initiative in the South China Sea, however, and the United States needs to revamp its strategy to reverse current trends and escape the trap of reactive and ineffectual policymaking. Firstly, the South China Sea is a prominent shipping passage with $5.3 trillion worth of . The Tribunal rejects Chinas maritime claims that go beyond the entitlements set out in the Law of the Sea Convention. U.S. leaders should not be afraid of tension in the U.S.-China relationship. The United States needs to maintain a difficult balancing act, supporting the democratic aspirations of the Thai people while remaining a security and economic partner of choice for the elites and armed forces. But in order to achieve renewed stability in the regionto ensure that Southeast Asians are not susceptible to non-military Chinese coercionthe United States must strive to become more than just the security partner of choice. The post-war regional order. That included nearly 40 percent of Chinas total trade and 90 percent of petroleum imports by China, Japan, and South Korea and nearly 6 percent of total U.S. trade. Tackling these issues will be tricky for the United States, as many of the elites that benefit from corruption will be those with whom Washington must work to deepen ties, but this is a long-term effort worth pursuing. Persistent American military presence at the eastern, southern and western points of the compassespecially when combined with regional states advancing ISR capabilities, for which the United States is providing investmentwould enable the United States to respond rapidly to incidents in disputed island chains or to Chinese attacks on U.S. and allied naval and air assets or on commercial shipping. Tokyo and Manila agreed to a strategic partnership in 2011. In April, Australian Defence Force personnel joined the U.S.-Philippines Balikatan maneuvers, which included an amphibious landing exercise. 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. Giving ground on vital interests in Asia will not encourage greater cooperation on global issues. The three core areas that must be defended and secured are the Malay Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak. The second will analyze the strategic landscape in and around the South China Sea. "American aircraft, this is the PLA air force. There are certainly other situations involving other challenges, but this is the most plausible and dangerous. Vietnam already flies modern Russian fighter jets and is expecting delivery this year of its sixth and final Kilo-class submarinesubmarines so quiet that the U.S. Navy refers to them as black holes. If the Chinese Navy wants to have its way in the South China Sea, it will have to dedicate resources to tracking those subs, a task with which the PLAN has limited experience. The United States will continue to stand with our allies and partners to uphold the order that we helped build, Pencesaid. Moving forward, freedom of navigation and routine presence operations should be executed on a regular basis to demonstrate U.S. resolve to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows. These same sea-lanes are a vital military artery as the U.S. It is a rich source of hydrocarbons and natural resources. The third will assess the policies/strategies currently employed by the United States in this arena as well as other plausible options. 2013 The Philippines challenges Chinas claims of historic rights and other actions in an arbitration case under the Law of the Sea Convention. The South China Sea (SCS) has great strategic and economic significance in the contemporary international politico-security environment. All this will occur in a region that is increasingly the vibrant center of the world economy. China has steadily built capabilities and infrastructure, most notably military facilities on artificial islands, that enable greater control of the South China Sea. More than half of the worlds fishing vessels are in the South China Sea, and millions of people depend on these waters for their food and livelihoods. Yet, it was and is all of that. China is working hard to bring under its control the water, islands, rocks and reefs that sit within its imaginary nine-dash line. Pexels India-China Indo-Pacific South China Sea Signalling is important international relations. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years. When it comes to trade, investment and infrastructure development, China should not be the only game in town. 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Such pressure should focus on concrete, near-term objectives, such as putting a stop to reeducation of regime critics. This has continued in to the present day. Report Few in Washington were inclined to see the South China Sea as a strategic priority engaging vital U.S. national interests. Current developments in the South China Sea must be understood against the backdrop of recent history. In the contemporary era, Taiwan remains geographically at the intersection of most of East Asia's danger points. "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 deterrence against the US," he explained. Since 2009, China has growingly asserted its influence over the SCS by enforcing an annual fishing ban, conducting regular maritime patrols, undertaking scientific surveys and conducting military exercises in the disputed islands and waters. What countries are claiming sovereignty, and to what extent is this disrupting regional stability? In practice, Thailand may be neutral in the regions great power fissures into the next decade. In each of these arenas, a successful Chinese effort to seize control of the South China Sea will have a profound impact and each is worth elaboration. access to Thailands military facilities, particularly the strategically located and well-equipped Utapao airbase, is considered invaluable.