Robert Keating Parents, Articles S

Learn more in our Cookie Policy. That redundancy will grant the United States flexibility in a couple of ways. This access will allow for more frequent, more sustained flights over the South China Sea, including over the disputed Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal. The importance of the South China Sea | ShareAmerica The strategic landscape of the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia in the early 1990s was remarkably benign with optimism in full flower. Since the mid-1990s, China has pursued a strategy . The Strategic Importance of the South China Sea - LinkedIn Generally, oil and minerals move north, and food and manufactured goods move south. the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States." Chinese control of the SCS-and, more generally, Chinese domination of China's near-seas region, meaning the SCS, the East China Sea (ECS), and the Yellow Sea-could substantially aect U.S. strategic, political, and economic interests in the Indo-Pacic region and . These islands are large enough for military runways and well as SAM installations. At the economic front, it is estimated that an annual global trade of $5.3 trillion passes through the SCS. In 2016, they carried fully one-third of global shipping with an estimated value of $3.4 trillion. Report on U.S.-China Strategic Competition in South and East China Seas China is already providing indications of how it might act when it controls the South China Sea. The reaction of the Chinese Foreign Minister was incendiary and revealing. See Media Page for more interview, contact, and citation details. The strategic importance of the SCS is mainly due to its geographical location, as the area is one of the world's busiest and most strategic shipping lanes. As one of the busiest trade routes in the world and home to a wealth of marine and mineral resources, the South China Sea holds great economic and geostrategic importance. The United States has several enduring advantages that make regional states continue to seek it out as the security partner of choice, including the worlds best military, high favorability ratings in most local populations, and a less threatening foreign policy than that of China. The United States needs to maintain a difficult balancing act, supporting the democratic aspirations of the Thai people while remaining a security and economic partner of choice for the elites and armed forces. In addition, the United States has affirmed some responsibility for the defense of Taiwan and has close security ties with Singapore and New Zealand. But the new maps contours truly began to crystallize earlier this year, when the Philippines Supreme Court ruled as constitutional a new defense agreement with the United States. Thus, it is said that the South China Sea could be the battleground of World War III. It is highly likely that China will continue to upset regional stability in the SCS to expand its own sphere of influence. The U.S. Navy P-8s are now regularly deploying to Singapore and, although without regular access, they have conducted patrols from Malaysia as well. 1982 More than 160 nations conclude the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, an international treaty setting out the framework governing the oceans and their uses. The United States can stand firm on its principles and deter China from undermining the regional order while maintaining a productive relationship. In 2012, Vietnam and the Philippines sought to consolidate their partnership and alliance with the US in order to enhance their strategic position over SCS disputes. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. All countries want positive economic and security ties with both China and the United States.