The South China Sea has become a hot-button issue in recent times, with an ongoing dispute between several countries for control of the sea and the resources it holds. But when did the South China Sea dispute actually start?
It’s a complex dispute that has been ongoing for decades and only became more complicated as the years passed. To understand how it all started, it’s important to examine the two main historical roots of the dispute. One root is the territorial claims made by the People’s Republic of China in the late 1940s, which was then followed by the discovery of the vast deposits of oil and natural gas beneath the South China Sea. This discovery sparked the second root of the dispute, with various countries vying to gain control of this potentially lucrative resource.
One of the most prominent disputes over the South China Sea began in 2009 when Chinese officials presented a map to the United Nations claiming ownership of vast swathes of the sea. This marked the beginning of a period of heightened tension between the various countries in the region, with each nation seeking to protect their own interests.
Tensions even started to spill over into public forums, with the 2010 ASEAN Regional Forum ending with China publicly highlighting their claims to the South China Sea. The following year saw the United States Navy conduct Operation Furthest Laired, which drew the ire of the Chinese government, as US forces had sailed close to several islands whose ownership was disputed.
In 2012, the Philippines brought a case to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, claiming that China’s nine-dash map claims were illegal under international law. This initiated a period of heightened diplomatic tension and a series of incidents between both Chinese and Filipino vessels, all while the legal proceedings continued.
Though the actual dispute began decades before, the modern South China Sea dispute only started escalating in 2009 and has since been a major point of contention between China and the other countries of the region. Though some of the rhetoric has cooled over recent years, the countries involved have yet to come to an amicable agreement, leaving the South China Sea a disputed region.
Provisions of the Treaty of Paris
In 1898, the United States, Spain, and the United Kingdom negotiated a treaty, referred to as the Treaty of Paris. The treaty was to settle all disputes between the three nations about the South China Sea region. However, the treaty only granted Spain sovereignty over the waters between mainland China, the islands, and waters off of the coasts of Guangdong and Hainan provinces. The treaty also laid out the jurisdictions and rights of the other nations in the area.
While the treaty was intended to settle the disputes between the nations, it only made the situation worse. This was because not all the countries in the area were included in the negotiations, and the treaty only granted Spain sovereignty over certain parts of the area. This exclusion of other countries, and Spain’s broad claims, created an issue of sovereignty in which the Chinese government felt their legal rights in the region were compromised.
This disagreement of sovereignty, created by the treaty, was the start of Chinese resistance to outside interference in the South China Sea region. China refused to cede its claims to the region, and to this day has maintained its stance of military enforcement of its maritime claims.
How China Justified its Territorial Claims
In 1947, the Chinese government published a map which laid out the extent of its territory in the South China Sea. This map, commonly known as the “Nine-Dash Map,” served as a means to reinforce their claims in the area and to lay out their legal rights and jurisdiction in the region. The map was then used to create the Chinese government’s “cow’s tongue” claim which followed the U-shape of China’s coastline.
This map and the associated claims were challenged by many countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Despite this, the Chinese government continues to use this map as a tool to justify its presence in the area. The map also serves as a historic point of reference that China can use when forming alliances with other countries in the region.
Chinese Expansion and Reclamation
In 2012, the Chinese government started a series of construction and expansion projects on the disputed islands in the South China Sea. These projects included massive land reclamation activities and the construction of military posts and civilian settlements. This was seen as a direct violation of the sovereignty of the other countries in the area as the Chinese government had not been granted permission to do so.
This was met with a strong international response as the Chinese government’s actions were seen as an attempt to further its claims to the region. This prompted many countries to come together and form an international coalition in order to pressure China into ceasing its actions. These actions, in turn, brought more international attention and scrutiny towards the South China Sea dispute.
International Intervention and Maritime Law
While the other countries involved in the dispute have pushed back against Chinese expansion, the task of finding an amicable solution has been left to the international community. This has led to a host of different initiatives, including the promulgation of maritime laws that allow for the establishment of boundaries and the resolution of disputes. However, attempts to draw up these laws have been stymied by China’s refusal to accept any limitation to its claims to the South China Sea.
In 2016, the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) produced the award declaring China’s nine-dash line was in violation of international law. This meant that China no longer had a legal basis on which to claim the rights and resources of the sea, and gave other countries a stronger basis to contest Chinese activities. This ruling was a major victory for the smaller nations in the dispute and marked a significant step forward in finding a resolution.
Regional Response and Diplomatic Approaches
In response to the UNCLOS ruling and the increased tensions in the region, the countries in the South China Sea dispute have been attempting various diplomatic measures in order to find a workable resolution. The most notable of these is the 2006 Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea. This Declaration is a series of commitments from the signatories meant to reduce tensions, promote cooperation, and work towards finding a common solution.
The Declaration has had some success in reducing the tensions in the region, however, the countries involved are still far from reaching a mutually beneficial agreement. With both China and the other countries in the dispute continuing to bring their claims to the international stage, the South China Sea dispute remains unresolved.
Regional Security
The high-stakes nature of the South China Sea dispute is further heightened by the fact that it has become an issue of regional security. The contested waters are a major route for international trade and a highly prized resource, containing valuable oil and gas reserves. As such, many of the countries involved have increased their military presence in the area in order to protect their interests. This has in turn further exacerbated tensions in the region, as the countries involved seek to assert their dominance.
The South China Sea dispute is still ongoing and the ultimate resolution is unclear. The various countries involved have not been able to find a mutually beneficial agreement which acknowledges each country’s interests. This has resulted in increased tensions, with the military presence in the area increasing in order to assert each country’s claims. As such, the South China Sea has become a contested region, with the future of the region and the resolution of the dispute remaining uncertain.
Implications for the Global Community
The implications of the South China Sea dispute go beyond the countries involved, as the region is a major transit point for international trade. This has caused disruption to the global economy, with some multinationals being forced to re-route their vessels in order to avoid the area. This has caused a major spike in shipping costs, with some analysts estimating that it will cost the global economy up to fifteen billion dollars per annum in increased shipping costs.
The dispute has also raised geopolitical tensions, with China’s military presence in the area being challenged by the United States and other countries. This has caused an arms race of sorts as the countries involved seek to bolster their positions in the dispute. This is likely to further increase tensions in the region, and could potentially lead to armed conflict if resolutions are not found.
The South China Sea dispute has become a major point of contention in the international community, and its resolution is far from certain. The current course of stagnation and increased tensions between the countries involved has started to have serious implications both economically and politically, and has the potential to cause major disruptions if the situation continues along its current path.
