Free Paper on the Territorial Disputes on the South China Sea

I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to my beloved parents, my daughter and my siblings for their love and continuous support – both spiritually and materially, for supporting me in the pursuit of my dreams. I would like to extend my gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Zhu whose continuous advice and encouragement throughout the course of this manuscript were invaluable.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to better understand the significance of the US’s “pivot to Asia”, and to offer sustained research on the reasons and dynamics behind this change. The increasing geopolitical significance of Asia, including the growing role of China as a force for the stability both in the region and internationally, represents a remarkable and historic shift. Despite the US’s unquestionable continuing dominance in the world affairs, the "unipolar moment" has turned out to be brief and, therefore, has already ended. The power epicenter has shifted eastwards; with international recognition that the world’s geopolitical center is not on the move, it has already moved from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

This geopolitical shift has brought with it increased economic interdependence which, in turn, has also fostered demand for resources. Increasing economies have a strong tendency to increase their defense expenditure because economic growth brings with it the capacity to acquire new military equipment; thus, leading to a tendency towards militarization and military modernization. This militarizing tendency, along with the natural desire of newly industrializing countries to have the means necessary to secure their national interests and security, results in a complexity of dynamics. The emergence of the present security dilemma, could admittedly result into an armed conflict; not least of all because the major powers in the international system have already been drawn into this nexus.

Keywords: South China Sea, Power, Geopolitics, Geostrategies, Geoeconomics, Security Dilemma and Interdependence.

Acknowledgements

The purpose of this study on the South China Sea is to better understand the territorial disputes in Southeast Asia, and to offer sustained research on the reasons and dynamics behind these disputes.

First, the drive for control of natural resources is transforming the South China Sea into an area of heated dispute; increasing the risk of becoming a stage for military conflict between states claiming sovereignty over the regional archipelagos, such as the Spratly and Paracel Islands. The first dimension of the conflict are the regional powers of the area themselves, namely China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. A second dimension of the conflict emerges in the form of more distant powers foreign to the region, but with interests in the area; namely the United States, Japan, Russia, Australia and South Korea. A third dimension which underscores the conflict further are the major international alliances and legal instruments germane to the conflict, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

One contention frequently battled about the contention in the South China Sea is that characteristic assets are the central or even the sole explanation behind the debate. Be that as it may, it is the sentiment of this creator that this view is distorted and is perilously deceptive. This examination fights that the explanations behind this debate are heap, and that they are significantly more confused than those beforehand viewed as because of the nearness of a few players, the ascent of new awesome forces, the impact of financial power, the dispersion of political and military power, and geopolitical rivalry in a related Asia. The South China Sea is a standout amongst the most imperative exchange courses for vitality supplies on the planet; has 33% of the world's oil, and the greater part of all melted flammable gas goes through the South China Sea consistently. This investigation examines the progression behind this debate from the viewpoints of regional sway, national premium, and monetary and military power. Also. this examination suggests answers for this issue through reciprocality. At last, this work underlines both the significance of the geostrategic, geoeconomic, and geopolitical perspectives while evaluating this contention. This current examination's key research subjects incorporate multilateralism as a geostrategic device, the topic of whether the part of the US is an issue or an answer, the geopolitical greatness of the issue, and provincial relationship.

Furthermore, it is to better comprehend the criticalness of the United States' "turn to Asia" and to offer supported research on the reasons and progression behind this change. The expanding geopolitical importance of Asia, and the developing part of China as a power for the solidness in the area and additionally universally, speaks to an exceptional and noteworthy move. Notwithstanding the US's certain proceeding with predominance in world undertakings, the "unipolar minute" ended up being brief and, therefore, has effectively finished. The epicenter control has moved eastwards with the worldwide acknowledgment that the world's geopolitical focus isn't moving in light of the fact that it has officially moved from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

This geopolitical move has carried with it expanded financial association which, thus, has additionally made an interest for assets. Expanding economies have a solid propensity to build their resistance consumption on the grounds that monetary development carries with it the ability to secure new military gear. Consequently, it prompts an inclination towards militarization and military modernization. This mobilizing inclination, alongside the normal want of recently industrializing nations have the methods important to secure their national advantages and security, brings about a many-sided quality of progression. The rise of the present-day security predicament, could in fact result into an outfitted clash; not in particular on the grounds that the significant powers in the International System have just been drawn into this nexus.