South China Sea disputes, South China Sea conflicts 2023. South China Sea 2023. South China Sea dispute 2024.

1. "South China Sea: Navigating Complex
Waters"
Presented by: HASSAN ALI

2. Location:
• The South China Sea encompasses a portion of the Pacific Ocean stretching
roughly from Singapore and the Strait of Malacca in the southwest, to the
Strait of Taiwan (between Taiwan and mainland China)

3. • The area includes hundreds of small islands, rocks and reefs, the majority of
which are located within the Paracel and Spratly island chains. Many of
these islands are partially submerged islets, rocks and reefs that are little
more than shipping hazards not suitable for habitation.

4. Importance of global trade in sea.
• Abundant Natural Resources:
• The South China Sea is known for
its abundant natural resources,
including minerals beneath its seabed.
• E.g. The amount of oil reserves
in the South China Sea are estimated to
about 230×108 ∼ 300×108 Metric ton.
• (1 ton = 1,000 kilograms or approximately 2,204.62 pounds).
• Approximately 338 trillion cubic meters of natural gas in the region.
• 70% of natural gas is in deep waters, posing exploration challenges

5. Importance in global trade and geopolitics:
About a third of all the world’s maritime (relating to oceans) trade
goes through the South China Sea. Half of all oil and gas tankers from
the Middle East sail into it on their way to China, Japan, the U.S., and
elsewhere. The location of the Sea also makes it militarily strategic,
valuable for national security.
It is also major spot for fishing, approximately 12% of global fish catch
in 2015.

6. Territorial Disputes
• Paracels: China, Taiwan, Vietnam
• • Spratlys: China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines.
• Vietnam and the Philippines actively claim South China Sea. Vietnam relies on 17th-century
maps, French occupation, and post-Vietnam War actions for sovereignty.
• In 1946, the Philippines took control
of several Spratly land features. Later,
the Philippines declared all the Spratlys
its territory. The Philippines also claimed
sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal.

8. China claim.
• In the 1970s, China began control over
different islands, reefs, and waters in the South China Sea,
often by force. It drove out Vietnamese troops from the western
Paracels in 1974. By the late 1980s, China controlled all of the
Paracels.
• China built oil-drilling rigs in waters near the Paracels
that Vietnam still claimed. This provoked protests and
riots against China in Vietnam. In the Spratlys, China
won the 1988 Battle of Johnson Reef where about
70 Vietnamese were killed. Afterward, China arrested
non-Chinese fishermen and harassed foreign ships
sailing near its occupied islands and reefs. China began
building artificial islands in the 1990s. This often involved
dredging sand from the seabed and crushing coral to
“reclaim” land for a reef that in its natural state was
underwater at high tide. China claimed the artificial islands
were for civilian (non-military) purpose.

9. US Stance:
• The U.S. maintains an official neutral stance on the South China Sea dispute,
advocating for a diplomatic resolution under international law. However, it
asserts national interests in the Asia-Pacific region, safeguarding freedom of
navigation. Defense treaties with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia,
and partnerships with Indonesia and Vietnam underline its commitment. The
U.S. rejects China's "nine-dash line" and employs Freedom of Navigation
Operations (FONOPs) to challenge excessive maritime claims, sparking tensions
over China's rise.

10. International law about sea:
• 1. **UNCLOS Framework: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the primary
international legal framework governing maritime affairs.
• 2. **Territorial Seas: Countries have sovereignty over a 12 nautical mile territorial sea from their baseline.
• 3. **Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs): Extends maritime rights to 200 nautical miles, allowing states to
exploit, conserve, and manage resources.
• 4. **Continental Shelf: Coastal states have rights to the continental shelf for resource exploration beyond
the EEZ.
• 5. **Freedom of Navigation: Ensures all states have the right to navigate freely on the high seas.
• 6. **Arbitration Mechanism: UNCLOS establishes dispute resolution mechanisms, including the
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

11. What china wants:
• 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,“
• Secondly, the South China Sea will serve as a buffer zone for China if and
when “the US conducts military attack against mainland China.”
• The world’s top two militaries regularly accuse each other engaging in
"destabilizing" actions in South China Sea and especially the Taiwan
Strait. Beijing usually terms it as threat to its sovereignty.
• In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague ruled against
Chinese claims to rights in the South China Sea, backing a 2013 case
brought by the Philippines.

12. USA’S Role.
• The U.S. is not picking sides in the South China Sea fight, wanting
countries to peacefully solve their issues. But, the U.S. cares about
the region. It has agreements with Japan, South Korea, the
Philippines, and Australia for defense. They also work with
Indonesia and Vietnam. The U.S. really wants ships and planes to
move freely in the South China Sea. They strongly disagree with
China's "nine-dash line" claim, thinking it threatens that freedom.
The U.S. challenges China by doing "freedom of navigation
operations," flying over Chinese islands and sailing near their
occupied areas. This makes China upset, thinking the U.S. wants to
control its growth.

13. • 1) it is part of a major transit route for maritime commercial traffic to and from
East Asia and for the United States Navy;
• 2) disputes over the ownership of its many small islands, reefs, atolls, and rocks
among China and several nearby Southeast Asian states (including one United
States ally, the Philippines) are generating tensions that could result in conflict
and instability;
• Beijing could eventually use its growing influence in the area to create a sphere
of influence detrimental to United States interests.

14. Can it be cause of any major war?
• While the South China Sea dispute poses significant geopolitical
challenges and potential for regional tensions, it is unlikely to
directly cause any War. The dynamics of the conflict, driven by
realist principles of power competition and national interests, may
lead to localized incidents and increased regional instability.
However, the global conditions necessary for a world war, involving
major powers on a global scale, are not currently present.
Diplomatic efforts, international norms, and economic
interdependencies act as deterrents to an all-out global conflict.
While the situation merits attention and careful management, the
term "World War III" implies a much broader and systemic conflict,
which the South China Sea dispute alone is not likely to trigger.