The South China Sea Island Disputes

The conspiracy china strugglee ocean Is drops Disputes Name of student Name of institution The randomness mainland china ocean Island Disputes Introduction mainland mainland chinas rise to the office of a global sparing power has been viewed with both skepticism and look forward to by her neighbors. Skepticism by countries wary of mainland chinawares annals of aggression as far as territorial conflicts ar concerned, and try for by countries wishing to benefit from trade partnerships with China. However, it is Chinas activities in both the south and east China seas that direct got her neighbors worrying. In the s withalties and 80s, China was concerned with marking her terrestrial throttles with countries that surround her.It was in the dish out of defining her borders that Chinas military power was felt. There were border skirmishes betwixt China and some(prenominal) of her neighbors including India and Russia. Having secured her terrestrial borders, Chinas foreth ought shifted to her maritime territorial dominion and its security. She embarked on the acquisition of islands inside the easternmost and southmost China sea. It is this expansion mission into the sea that has seen many affrays rise amidst China and her neighbors who lay phone call to the same islands. This expansion strategy has seen contends trice up amongst China and her neighbors who lay guide to islands she has acquired.As early as April 2012, the Filipino and Chinese militaries nearly faced off over an island cognise as Scarborough Reef. In the East China Sea, China has had a long dispute with lacquer and chinaware over the will power of a assembly of islands known as Senkaku in japan and Diaoyu in China. As late as 2012, lacquer and China had a standoff over these islands. Although both countries come tried to diffuse tensions over this issue, the threat of conflict remains truly especially with the involvement of the coupled States. Thesis Statement Recent diplomatical spats between China and her neighbors soak up increased tensions in the southwestern East Asia regions.Such standoffs make the threat of conflict in the region all overly real especially with the involvement of external actors such as the United States. However, it should non be mazed on scholars that Chinas claim to mingled islands in both the southward and East China Sea is the major contributor to these tensions. This is evidenced by the recent standoffs between China and Japan over the Diaoyu/Senkaku group of islands in the East China Sea, as well as tensions with the Philippines over the Scarborough Reef and Spratly islands in the East China Sea.This paper offers a background to the disputes between China and her neighbors over these islands, and particularly Diaoyu/Senkaku. It will further investigate the home(prenominal) genes influencing Chinas self- stiriveness in both the mho and East China Sea and her claim to these islands as well. Finally , the paper will attempt to paint some potential outcomes of these conflicts while at the same time offering possible solutions. play down to the Disputes Diaoyu/Senkaku Dispute. A look at the world map will not clearly show the location of the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands. This shows how tiny these islands are.They consist of five volcanic islands and three outcroppings located 400 km west of the Japanese island of Okinawa and round 170 km northeast of the republic of Taiwan (Lohmeyer, 2008). Although they are administered by Japan, on that point is no human habitation in these islands. Imperial China is said to become been the rightful owner of the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands before 1895. In fact, the describe Diaoyu in Mandarin stands for look for ground or fishing syllabus (Lohmeyer, 2008). The Japanese name, senkaku, means sharp point, and was given to the islands by the nineteenth century Japanese explorer, Kuroiwa.However, China lost the islands as well as Taiwan to Japan in the Sino-Japanese war of 1895 (OShea, 2012). The islands remained in Japanese hold till the end of World contend II when they fell infra the United States mandate, as did the whole of Japan after losing the war. Additionally, the ownership of Taiwan reverted back to China at the end of the Second World War but not these islands. It is important to note that Taiwan and the Peoples Republic of China lay claim to the islands on the basis of history. In other words, both claim that the islands have historically been part of their territory until they were captured by Japan in 1895.However, none of these countries made an issue of the islands ownership until oil deposits were discovered in the East China Sea in 1968. By the time the U. S returned the ownership of the islands as well as Okinawa to Japan, Tensions were already building up (OShea, 2012). Japan lays claim to the islands based on the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas (UNCLOS) principle of Continuous Peaceful Ad ministration. Although the dispute over the islands intensified after the U. S handed them over to Japan in 1972 (Beukel, 2011), it was not until the 1990s that this dispute gained prominence.According to OShea (2012), Taiwan and China were angered by media reports which revealed that a Japanese right wing group had constructed a lighthouse in Diaoyu/Senkaku, and that the group had applied to the Japanese microscope slide Guard to recognize it as a government property. The protests that ensued in both China and Taiwan served to whip up nationalist sentiments over against Japan. China responded both years later by enacting a maritime integrity called the police of the Peoples Republic of China on the Territorial sea and Contiguous Zone.It is article twain of this law that rattled Japan and Taiwan since it states that the Peoples Republics territory take on Taiwan and all islands appertaining thereto including the Diaoyu islands (Lohmeyer, 2008). Despite Japans diplomatic prote sts, China has not changed this part of the law. The issue of the lighthouse recognition surfaced again in 1996 with the Japanese government giving it a serious thought. Formosan and Chinese activities reacted by setting sail for the islands. Attempts by Japanese shore guards to arrest the activities upshoted to the drowning of some of the activists.This incident forced Japan to allow the activists to land on the islands. Japan also shelved the lighthouse recognition issue (OShea, 2012). In September 2010, the dispute over the islands erupted with news of a collision between cardinal Japanese chute guard ships and a Chinese fishing trawler (OShea, 2012). The crew of the trawler was apprehended by the Japanese coast guard and later released, save for the captain. When China learned that the Japanese administration planned to charge the captain in court, it suspended the exportation of elevated earth to Japan among other severe measures (Beukel, 2011).The internet site was eas ed by the release of the Chinese captain. The dapple is not helped by Tokyos move to nationalize some of the islands in September, 2012 which was condemned by China. China even conducted naval exercises in the amnionic fluid near the islands, a move Japan termed as provocative. Other island disputes involving China. According to a report by the worldwide Crisis throng (2012), the threat of war in the South China Sea is becoming real with from each one passing day. This is as a result of Chinas growing assertiveness in staking her claim to assorted islands in that part of the world.These disputes pit china with countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam (Buszynski, 2012). The disputes arise from the fact that the islands claimed by China are said to be within the Exclusive Economic Zones of the above mentioned countries. Additionally, there are reports of oil and immanent gas deposits having been discovered in the waters surro unding many of these islands. These reports flow the disputes further. Although maritime disputes exist between China and her South China Sea neighbors, it is Vietnam and the Philippines that have shown declaration in defense of their claims.The supranational Crisis Group (2012) reports that Vietnam and China have twice gone to war over Chinese business of islands which Vietnam says are within her Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The first war took place in 1974 when China occupied the Paracel islands. Although Vietnam is said to have lost this war, she did not hesitate to engage her gigantic neighbor in some other war in 1988. This was as a result of Chinas occupation of the Spratly islands. As late as 2011, there were tensions between the two countries over Chinas naval violations of Vietnamese waters.In order to expect Chinas aggressive moves, Vietnam has embarked on modernization of its military and forge of closer ties with the U. S, chinas military rival in the Asia-pacifi c region. make up ones mind by the Philippines to resist Chinas occupation of islands within Philippines EEZ was witnessed in April 2012 when the two countries were involved in both military and diplomatic standoffs. The international Crisis Group (2012) reports that this diplomatic crisis was occasioned by Chinese naval deterrence of Philippine naval patrols from apprehending Chinese fishermen in the Scarborough islands.Obviously, the fishing activities by the Chinese were illegal, and China did not have to respond as forcefully as she did. Furtherto a greater extent, the Philippines, together with Malaysia, have disputed Chinas claim to the Spratly archipelago (Buszynski, 2012). With the Philippines and Vietnam showing more resolve in their disputes with China, the prospects of peace in the region dwindle with each passing day. Domestic Factors Influencing Chinas assertiveness in the South China Sea Chinas growing assertiveness in the South China Sea is influenced by miscellane ous domestic factors.They include Chinese nationalism, the need to secure nix resources, local economic interests, competing law enforcement agencies, and the ineffectual coordination of various government actors. Ineffectual coordination of various government departments by the exchange authority is made difficult by the number of departments within the government. These departments are huge in number and have, on various occasions, overstepped their mandate. The external Crisis Group (2012) reports that some of these departments have assumed the component part of the foreign personal business ministry.A good example would be the way the Bureau of Fisheries boats have been utilise to guard the waters more or less the disputed islands. The promotion of tourism abroad should be done through the ministry of foreign affairs, but this has not been the case. This business is undertaken by the National Tourism Administration which goes as far as marketing tourism in disputed islan ds (Crisis Group, 2012). Obviously, this points to weaknesses within the ministry of foreign affairs and the factional divisions within the Chinese Communist Party.Apart from ineffectual coordination in government departments, there is competition among law enforcement agencies in China. These competing interests and the agencies uncoordinated activities have served to heighten tensions in the South China Sea. While the China Marine Surveillance is aerated with patrolling the South China Sea, the Bureau of Fisheries Administration also assumes this role. It is the latter style that has been involved in many of the disputes involving China and her neighbors. Patrols of Chinas waters should be left to her naval forces.Diaoyu/Senkaku became a major issue in the Sino-Japanese dealings after the discovery of oil resources in the waters around the islands in 1968. Therefore, it would be correct to mention that the major driving factor for Chinas assertiveness over this dispute is domest ic energy needs. Buszynski (2012) reports that China people became the second large-scalest consumer of oil in the world in 2009. By the year 2030, China will most probably be the overall largest consumer of oil in the world. This energy need is driven by its industries.It would, therefore, be expected that the Peoples Republic would aggressively assert its claim to the South Asia Sea Islands which have been reported to contain large deposits of hydrocarbons. These oil reserves are estimated to be in billions of barrels. There are also natural gas deposits underneath the seabed near Diaoyu/Senkaku islands. some other domestic factor that has been cited as influencing Chinas assertive position in the South China Sea is Chinese nationalism. Beukel (2011) observes that there has endlessly been resentment for Japan among the Chinese public.This resentment stems from the atrocities committed against the Chinese by the Japanese between 1895 and the Second World War. Therefore, any hos tility between China and Japan whips up more nationalist sentiments among the Chinese public. Analysts have also pointed out the fact that the Chinese leadership has at measure whipped up nationalist sentiments as a way of promoting patriotism (Buszynski, 2012). local anesthetic economic interests have also getd to the tensions between China and her South China Sea neighbors.The external Crisis Group (2012) reports that the southernmost Chinese provinces of Hainan and Guangdong directly contribute to the assertive behavior witnessed from China in the recent past. These provinces have bypassed the central government in their actions against Chinas neighbors such as Vietnam and the Philippines. In other words, the provinces seek to perform better than others economically. How China is Likely to resolve these Disputes Chinas activities in the South China Sea have angered many of her south East Asia neighbors. The latest altercations in the South China Sea have heightened tensions in the region.However, the dispute with Japan over the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands presents a delicate situation since the United States plays a pivotal role in the defenses of many nations in the South China Sea region. Beukel (2011) observes that Sino-Japanese relations are quite complex because both countries are strong partners. It is advance to note that while the Diaoyu/Senkaku dispute has existed, it has not broken the ties between the two nations. However, as long as the United States keeps on getting dragged in the South China Sea on the side of one disputants, Chinas position is likely to harden.Disputes between China and her neighbors such as the Philippines and the Vietnam can easily be solved through fora like the connective of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). However, the situation is precipitated by the standoffs between the disputants. Furthermore, the situation is likely to be precipitated by the military build ups in the region. expiration Chinas activities in the Sout h China Sea have been viewed with wariness by her South East Asia neighbors. The long standing dispute over the long Diaoyu/Senkaku islands has been at the center of attention of the Sino-Japanese relations.The frequent flare ups in this region have been blamed on Chinas strategy to expand its Exclusive Economic Zone. There are several domestic factors driving Chinas quest for a bigger share of the South China Sea. These include heightened Chinese nationalism, lack of coordination of the various Chinese government departments, and competing interests among the Chinese law enforcement agencies. Additionally, Chinas domestic energy needs as well as local economic interests serve to heighten tensions in the South China Sea.There have been various speculations as to the directions that these disputes will take. However, these disputes can be resolved through regional fora such as the Association of South East Asian Nations, ASEAN. The situation will, however, be escalated by grand stand ings and continued military build ups. References Beukel, E. (2011). frequent Nationalism in China and the Sino-Japanese Relationship The Conflict in the East China Sea An Introductory Study. Copenhagen Danish Institute of International Studies, DIIS. Buszynski, L. (2012).The South China Oil, Maritime Claims, and U. S. -China Strategic Rivalry. The Washington Quarterly, 35 (2), 139-156. International Crisis Group (2012). Stirring Up the South China Sea (I). Brussels Author. International Crisis Group (2012). Stirring Up the South China Sea (II) regional Responses. Brussels Author. Lohmeyer, M. (2008). The Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands Dispute Questions of reign and Suggestion for Resolving the Dispute. Canterbury Author. OShea, P. (2012). Sovereignty and the Senkaku/Diaoyu Territorial Dispute. Stockholm EIJS, Stockholm School of Economics.