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South China Sea divisions

more marked than ever

China’s increasingly militant approach to the disputed waters of the South
China Sea will force its smaller neighbours to seek military backing from the US

COMMENTARY CHINA’S increasingly assertive stance in the The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
South China Sea is driving its regional neigh- said on October 5 that Chinese vessels, includ-
bours into more clearly defined roles as rivals. ing a survey ship, were operating off the coasts
WHAT: China lays claim to more than 90% of the of Sabah and Sarawak states. The ministry noted
The risk of a military South China Sea, including waters that fall that such activity contravened the 1982 United
conflict in the South within its neighbours’ 200-nautical mile (370- Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
China Sea is growing. km) exclusive economic zones (EEZs), as set out “Malaysia’s consistent position and actions
under the 1982 United Nations Convention on are based on international law, in defence of our
WHY: the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). sovereignty and sovereign rights in our waters,”
China is alienating its While the region is believed to hold sub- the statement said. “Malaysia had also protested
neighbours, which are stantial oil and gas reserves, of greater strategic against the previous encroachments by other
looking to the US for importance is the fact that the South China Sea foreign vessels in our waters.”
support. is a major trade route for fossil fuels. Indeed, as China claims sovereignty over large swathes
much as 90% of China’s oil imports are trans- of the South China Sea via its Nine Dash Line,
WHAT NEXT: ported through the area. With China set to a boundary delineated by historical maps. Its
Any conflict would slow become the world’s largest importer of liquefied claim has brought it into dispute with the Philip-
the flow of oil and gas via natural gas (LNG) this year, greater shipments of pines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and
one of the world’s largest the fuel in the coming years will only increase the Taiwan to a greater or lesser extent.
routes. region’s importance. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration
With this in mind, Beijing has progressively (PCA) ruled in favour of the Philippines’ case
adopted an ever more confrontational posture against China’s claims, noting that most of Bei-
over other sovereign states’ activity in the South jing’s claims to the South China Sea were invalid.
China Sea’s waters. This is in stark contrast to its The Chinese government has ignored the PCA
previous strategy of divide and conquer, where ruling, building and fortifying artificial islands
it used the promise of increased trade and finan- in the area.
cial assistance coupled with the threat of military Chinese and Malaysian vessels were locked in
confrontation to keep its neighbours from unit- a months-long stand-off last year after a Malay-
ing over a common cause. sian drill ship began operating in waters claimed
China’s regional posturing has not only seen by both countries. China then sent a survey ves-
neighbours’ interests align more closely, but sel, accompanied by coast guard ships, into the
it is also driving these smaller players to forge area to conduct its own scans – with Malaysia
stronger alliances with the US. responding by sending naval vessels to the area.
Such encounters have been increasingly com-
Political protest mon since China sent the Hai Yang Shi You 981
The Malaysian government this week sum- rig into Vietnam’s EEZ in 2014, stoking tensions
moned China’s ambassador to protest over the between the two countries. At the time, China’s
presence of Chinese vessels in the Southeast rig was backed up by a flotilla of fishing and
Asian country’s EEZ. coastguard vessels.

P4 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 40 07•October•2021