Territory Disputes in The South China Sea Are Reaching a Boiling Point

Experts Warn the U.S. May Get Involved, Prompting Possible War

Experts warn that territorial disputes in the South China Sea are escalating to a dangerous stage that could potentially lead to a conflict involving the United States. China has long claimed almost the entire South China Sea, but its increasing assertiveness in the region in recent years has aggravated tensions with nations including the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Brunei. 

While the U.S. has no direct claims of sovereignty or exclusive maritime rights in the South China Sea, however, according to Krista Weigand, the region remains a potential flashpoint for conflict between the U.S. and China. Weigand is a professor at the University of Tennessee, as well as the director of the Centre for National Security and Foreign Affairs at the Howard J. Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the university. Specializing in territorial and maritime disputes, law, and East Asian Security, she believes the U.S. would likely get involved in Taiwan.

The South China Sea is in the Western Pacific Ocean. It spans from Singapore and the Strait of Malacca in the Southwest to the Strait of Taiwan in the Northeast. It is situated between China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, and Malaysia. The sea is 1.3 million square miles and is home to some of the most congested trade routes globally. Approximately 24% of all maritime trade passed through the sea in 2023. Researchers from Duke University have estimated the total trade through the South and East China Seas to be worth $7.4 trillion annually.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) suggests that the South China Sea may be rich in undiscovered resources, particularly oil and natural gas. A 2023 report by the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that the region could harbor as much as 9.2 billion barrels of untapped petroleum and other liquids, along with an astounding 216 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Territory Disputes in The South China Sea

For more information about the rising tension in the South China Sea, go to OilPrice.com:

“China’s disputes in the South China Sea include territories that fall within a country’s economic exclusion zones (EEZ), such as the Philippines. An EEZ is a maritime area where a coastal state has the right to explore, exploit, conserve and manage natural resources, according to the United Nations. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a case opened in 2013 against China. The court of arbitration said China’s claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis.

‘There are some historic claims that may have legitimacy, but at the same time, the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, which China signed and ratified, along with most other countries in the world, with the exception of the U.S. and a few others, is very clear about the maritime boundaries of countries,’ Wiegand said. ‘China’s claims or maritime features about islands in the waters of countries like Vietnam and the Philippines that fall under their control … those are completely illegitimate.’

Turker said U.S. involvement would significantly escalate the situation in the South China Sea, particularly if military assets are deployed. While a war breaking out in the South China Sea is a strong possibility, each country also has reasons for keeping the peace, he added.”

Source: South China Sea: A Ticking Time Bomb For Global Trade - OilPrice

https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/International/South-China-Sea-A-Ticking-Time-Bomb-for-Global-Trade.html

Photo Source: WIX - www.wix.com 

Written by AQUAMERGE

November 4th, 2024