The South China Sea has recently become an area greatly contested over by numerous countries. Due to its abundance of natural resources, its importance to maritime trade in the region, as well as its strategic significance, countries are trying to lay claim to parts of this area in order to gain economic stability, increase their power over the region, as well as secure their spot as a leader in trade and commerce. China’s attempts to claim the entire region, based off of the “nine-dash line”, instituted in 1947, as well as the debate over what areas are considered “international waters” and which are claimed has caused further tension. This debate has reached the global scale as other countries have become involved in trying to resolve this conflict. The United States has played a large role in patrolling the area as well as ensuring that China does not overstep its boundaries. As this issue continues and tensions rise many believe there is no hope in resolving this conflict and dividing the region equally. 

The current debate surrounding the South China Sea deals with territorial disputes as well as gaining control over maritime trade routes in this region. The sea has been separated into different sections, each claimed by various countries located in the South China Sea. The countries that currently lay claim to a specific part of the sea are Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The causes of this dispute is centered around China’s belief that they are the rightful owners of the sea based on the “nine-dash line” created in 1947 by Chiang Kai Shek, the leader of China from 1928 to 1975. Through this, China “mapped and named 291 islands and reefs in the region.” Due to this, they believe they lay claim over these islands and the entire South China Sea. However, many other countries in the region believe that the “nine-dash line” is unlawful and that they also have the right to lay claim to parts of this area. The Philippines has even begun arbitration proceedings in order to officially declare these claims by China as questionable and potentially invalid. However, the recent Philippines mission has been centered around maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Most of the countries enthralled in this dispute hope to gain territory of strategic importance to increase their presence in the region. However, many of these claims overlap as multiple countries feel that they are the rightful owners of a region or island in the South China Sea. A clear example of these territorial disputes can be seen in the Paracel and Spratly Islands. These islands, which China has claimed and militarized by constructing bases, ports, outposts, etc., is being contested over by nearby countries. While China has tried proving these claims through the “nine-dash line” and their historic maps, Vietnam has argued that they have owned these islands since the 17th century. The Philippines has also argued the claims made by China. China’s attempts in claiming these islands, and others throughout the South China Sea, would allow them to not only claim “sovereignty over the sea”, but also gain access to a large amount of natural gas and oil. 

China has recently taken a military approach to reclaim the South China Sea. In hopes to intimidate nearby countries as well as push against U.S. intervention, China has begun placing “anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles” on their claimed islands. Furthermore, they have run military drills as well as used destroyers and warships to patrol the sea to solidify their position as a dominant leader in the region. China has also begun building islands by piling sand onto reefs in the sea. Through creating these islands, China is able to build more bases, airstrips, etc. and increase their military presence in the region. China, if successful, will not only gain territory but control over multiple trade routes, gain an immense amount of natural resources, as well as once again solidify itself as a growing world superpower. 

In order to try and prevent China’s mission of dominating the South China Sea, many third parties have become involved in the dispute. The United States has become increasingly involved in order to maintain peace and ensure that all countries are following international law and not laying claim over international waters. The U.S. Navy has been deployed to the region to patrol the sea. The U.S. has also begun freedom of navigation operations in order to push against China’s attempts to claim international waters and, in turn, limit the freedom of navigation for other countries and maritime trade. The U.S. has done six FON operations in the South China Sea since May of 2017. One of these operations included a U.S. destroyer coming “within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef, an artificial island in the Spratly Island chain.” China believes that these efforts by the U.S. are threatening their sovereignty and are a risk to their security. While many believe it is crucial for the United States to be a player in the South China Sea dispute to control China, others believe it is unnecessary and will only increase tensions. 

The U.N. and ASEAN have also been actively working towards creating peace in the South China Sea. ASEAN has attempted to create agreements with China and other Southeast Asian states to stabilize the region, however, the resolutions have often been vague and avoidant of the main issues, causing many countries to ignore them. Guidelines have been implemented, but have done little to resolve the disputes. The U.N. has also been trying to create resolutions and agreements between countries to work towards peace and regional stability. The U.S. and U.N. have used the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which deals with issues concerning international waters and regulates certain sea activity, to deal with the territorial disputes. They hope by strengthening and effectively implementing international law to deal with the conflict they will be able to bring peace to the South China Sea.