Conflict in South China Sea

The area of South China Sea is the area that is currently not in the control of any

country, and the size of the South China Sea area is about three million and five hundred

thousand kilometer square, so in the future China might be able to seize this area of the sea.

In the current era, South China Sea is the one of the busiest transportation routes of

the world that very important to many countries (Kaplan, 2016). Furthermore, this area is

very advantageous due to the reason that the area has oil and natural gases in a high numbers

and many countries need a lot of energy. South China Sea is located in southwest of the

Pacific Ocean and in this present day many countries still import oils from Middle East and

Africa that need to go through South China Sea which make this area of the ocean very

advantageous for business to many country especially China (Kaplan, 2016).

The natural resources are consist of oil, natural gases especially found in Brunei

Indonesia Thailand Vietnam Malaysia and Philippines, lastly liquefied natural gas or known

as LNG has to be transport through the area of South China Sea (South China Sea and Spratly

Islands ).

At this present time, there are many topics and conflicts about the controlling rights of

the South China Sea, but the most spots that get many attentions from the world are Spratly

Islands and Paracel Islands. And most issues are related to the owner rights of natural

resources. Firstly, China had established their plan by showing the briefly division of the area

that might include Natuna Islands which is also the huge natural gases resource of Indonesia,

so that makes Indonesia replied back by having the largest military training that ever happen.

On the other hands, Philippines had researched and produce natural gases in the sea area that

China is currently claiming which China never mentioned before in the past. Many natural

gases resources of Malaysia in the coast of a certain island that China also claiming to be the
owner which never mentioned before like the case of Philippines. In the area of the Gulf of

Thailand which is one of the areas that included in South China Sea that is resourceful, but

havent been properly separated, which it had been with Thailand for a long time. Even

though, there are many companies in area of Southeast Asia that have already signed the

contract for digging and investigate in the area of South China Sea, still the process is not

beginning.

As for United State, now in America, there is preparation of U.S. forces for the

conflict that might become worse, which U.S. Navy has been patrolling in the area around

South China Sea. Still not enter because of U.S. do not want to cause the situation to become

more negative, so the U.S. just act like an observer now (Glaser, 2012 ). Also U.S. might

become included in China-Philippines conflict because there was a 1951 Mutual Defense

Treaty with Philippines, which it states that "Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in

the Pacific Area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and

declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional

processes" (Glaser, 2012 ).

As a result, the UN Convention of 2525 has established guidelines. On the status of

the islands, the sea areas off the continental shelf, and boundary waters. The provisions

related to the case of the South China Sea. From section three of the Convention states that

"Every state has the right to limit the area of the sea, but shall not exceed twelve nautical

miles (South China Sea and Spratly Islands ). From section 55-75 define the concept of

special economic zones (Exclusive Economic Zone: EEZ), which refers to the area within a

radius of two hundred nautical miles from the territorial waters of that country. By country or

state's coastal economic zone dedicated to the "sovereignty in the exploration and use

conservation and management of natural resources, whether living or inanimate in the water

above the sea floor area, including the seabed and subsoil beneath the seabed area with
(South China Sea and Spratly Islands ). From section 76 defined the word continental shelf of

the country, which is the area. "Comprises the seabed and subsoil of the area under water,

coverage area next to the territorial waters of that country, go along that stretch naturally, the

land borders of the country to the end of the continental margin, or to a range of 200 nautical

miles" (South China Sea and Spratly Islands ). This provision is important because Article 77

requires that each country can use "Sovereignty over the continental shelf for the purpose of

exploring and exploiting the natural resources in that area". And from section 121, which

requires that a rocky reef that is not conducive to the human habitat or cannot live

economically self-sustaining cannot assign a specific economic zone (South China Sea and

Spratly Islands ).

In the end, there is still no solid result that would show the ownership of the South

China Sea area to which countries. Even some part of the sea are belong to other country, the

conflicts are still occurring in the area between many countries, also many companies that try

to take the advantages from the conflicts to get the benefit. But as for the prediction, China is

more likely to claim the South China Sea area, from the reason that the area of the sea is

including in the area of the Republic of China.

Bibliography
Chinas Defiance in the South China Sea. (2016, August 13). Retrieved from The New York
Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/opinion/sunday/chinas-defiance-in-the-
south-china-sea.html

FISHER, M. (2016, July 14). The South China Sea: Explaining the Dispute. Retrieved from
The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/15/world/asia/south-china-
sea-dispute-arbitration-explained.html?_r=0

Glaser, B. S. (2012 , April). Armed Clash in the South China Sea. Retrieved from Council
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Kaplan, R. D. (2016, February 6). The South China Sea will be the battleground of the future.
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china-sea-is-so-crucial-2015-2

South China Sea and Spratly Islands . (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www2.eppo.go.th/vrs/VRS51-07-Spratly.html