The spratly islands are a disputed group of more than 750 reefs, islands, cays, atolls, and islets in the south china sea that are critical to nations in the region for strategic and economic reasons. It is further complicated by historical claims that do not jibe well with modern international law. Approximately 44 of the 51 small islands and reefs are claimed or occupied by china, the philippines, vietnam, taiwan, malaysia and brunei. The entire spratly island archipelago, which consists of small reefs, shoals, sandbars, cays, and atolls, covers about 180,000 square kilometers ii with the inclusion of the territorial waters that surround the entire chain. Gendreau in her work, sovereignty over the paracel and spratly islands. Peaceful settlement of disputes in the south china sea. Nonfilipino viewpoints regarding philippine occupation of several islands are currently not included in this article. The spratly island dispute is about national pride as well as the potential economic resources of the area. Due to the complexity of the south china sea dispute, negotiations have been lagging since the 2002 declaration on the.
International law and the dispute over the spratly islands. What role for normalizing relations between china and taiwan, 32 new eng. Philippines all permanently occupy features in the spratly group. The spratly islands cover more than 164,000 square miles from southern vietnam to the philippines. Spratly rocks dispute a rockapelago defies norms of. South china sea and spratly islands were taiwans territory and under taiwanese sovereignty recently, the dispute has escalated to include military and naval occupation of the islands form the various stakeholders.
After that, the paper briefly concludes with a prospectus on the issue of south china sea. Index introductionspratly island controversy 1 physical features of the spratly islands 1 petroleum and natural gas reserves 1 commercial fishing 2 commercial shipping 2 tourism industry 3. Video by truth esguerra interact with philippine news. These features, most of which are uninhabitable, are situated in three island chains the spratly, paracel, and pratas islands, the macclesfield. The hague has delivered a political handgrenade with its surprisingly harsh and clear decision in the case of the philippines vs. Territorial dispute of the spratly islands in the south china sea. The islands are situated at the heart of the south china sea making it a hotbed for china to claim their territory. Spratly islands, group of about 100 low islands and coral reefs in the central south china sea, intersecting busy shipping lanes. The south china sea is defined by the international hydrographic bureau as the body of water stretching in a southwest to northeast direction, whose southern. Out of its economic and security motives, malaysia entered the spratly islands dispute, making it more complex. Autobiography of malcolm x 416 reprint edition 1992. Philippines and the spratly islands this article discusses the policies, activities and history of the republic of the philippines in the spratly islands from the philippine perspective. This marked the end of a 144year british rule in singapore which began with the founding of modern singapore by sir. A historical and legal perspective tehkuang chang i.
February fiery cross reef foreign minister gulf of tonkin hallertrost hanoi heinzig historic waters indonesia international law island groups jakarta japan jiao june kalayaan malaysia march mischief reef natuna islands north vietnam november occupied october offshore oil exploration paracel and. A taiwan after ww2 claim the spratly island as early as 1946 after the defeat of japan it established a garrison itu aba spratly island west york islands apparently to forestall french attempt to return to the area but abandoned it in 1950 because of two things 1. Spratly islands is a group of islands, reefs, islets and cays in the south china sea or west philippines sea which is being claimed by asian countries namely the philippines, vietnam, brunei, malaysia, taiwan and peoples republic of china. His solutions to the spratly islands dispute all assume that china will be able to claim eezs and territorial waters around mischief reef and its manmade features. May use military to confront china in spratly island. Chinese soldiers on the spratly islands, known in china as the nansha islands, in february. The area includes more than 200 small islands, rocks, and reefs, with the majority located in the paracel and spratly island chains. Spratly islands dispute news and updates from the economic. The republic of chinas government also announced a sovereignty claim on the spratly islands. The spratly islands are currently a remote, uninhabited cluster of islands with claims by china, vietnam, the philippines and malaysia. China over the spratly islands in the south china sea its all.
May 02, 2018 china quietly installed missile systems on strategic spratly islands in hotly contested south china sea published wed, may 2 2018 4. Pdf the modern origins of chinas south china sea claims. China is rapidly transforming numerous reefs of the spratly island group into military installations, part of a strategy to solidify its hold on the south china sea despite competing territorial claims by vietnam, the philippines, malaysia, taiwan and brunei. As reported by dzurek 1996, both countries agreed to abide by a code of. Chinas new military installations in the spratly islands. This was due, in part, to chinas rising economic stature and the interdependency it, in turn, fostered amongst asian nations. The spratly islands dispute prc claim on spratly islands viewed the government of malaysia has issued an important statement as a reaction to the recent claim by the peoples republic of china concerning the spratly islands. The spratly islands dispute is an ongoing territorial dispute between china, taiwan, malaysia, the philippines, vietnam, and brunei, concerning ownership of the spratly islands, a group of islands and associated maritime features reefs, banks, cays, etc. The spratly islands dispute is an ongoing territorial dispute between brunei, china peoples republic of china, malaysia, the philippines, taiwan, and vietnam, concerning ownership of the spratly islands, a group of islands and associated maritime features reefs, banks, cays, etc. Pdf this article offers a new account of the development of chinas territorial claims in the south china. The indonesiansponsored dialogue on the issue, which took place in the 1990s, has lost its momentum in the current climate.
The spratly islands in the south china sea are rich in fishing and oil reserves. Introduction one of the most contending, more disturbing and. Map of territorial claims in the spratly islands circa 2012. According to marcus halls trouble brewing in the south china sea assessment, china entered the dispute in three phases. Though china and taiwan based their claims to the spratlys on the historical records dating back to the sung dynasty a. However, what these features are, exactly, cant be overlooked when examining this issue. Spratly island, like most of the other islands and cays in the group, sits on a larger coral bank or atoll. Underscored by the prospects of large natural energy reserves, control of strategic. Chinese general visits disputed spratly islands in south china sea.
Usc wrigley marine science center on catalina island and throughout. Spratly islands is more than a territorial dispute over a collection of reefs and atolls. This legalistic approach has helped mitigate chinese claims, but facts on the ground and on the water also matter. Navy sails warship near disputed islands in south china. But see christopher joyner, the spratly islands dispute. The whole group is claimed by china, taiwan, and vietnam, and parts are claimed by malaysia and the philippines.
I strongly believe and stand for the philippines rightful claim to the spratly islands. Territorial disputes in the south china sea involve both island and maritime claims among seven sovereign states within the region, namely brunei, the peoples republic of china, taiwan, malaysia, the philippines, and vietnam. Cordner, the spratly island dispute and the law of the sea, 25 ocean dev. Mar 06, 2018 the spratly islands are a disputed zone, with china, malaysia, taiwan, vietnam, brunei and the philippines all advancing territorial claims, and all except brunei occupying at least some of the maritime features in the area. Essay about reasons for the spratly island disputes 465. France asserted its claims to the spratly and paracel islands on behalf of its thencolony vietnam. A dispute between china and south vietnam over the ownership of two archipelagos in the south china sea, the paracel islands and the spratly or spratley islands, led to a naval battle. The spratlys links the pacific ocean and the indian ocean. These south china sea disputes generally fall into three categories. The spratly islands dispute is a regional maritime territorial sovereignty dispute which involves six countries in the south china sea china, taiwan, vietnam, philippines, malaysia and brunei. Islands, reefs, banks and shoals in the south china sea, including the paracel islands, the pratas islands, macclesfield bank, scarborough shoal and the spratly islands between the prc, taiwan, and vietnam, and parts of the area also contested by malaysia and the philippines.
The south china sea emergence as a major explosive flashpoint in the asia pacific in the second decade of the 21 st century owes its origin to chinas two major acts of aggression against vietnam in the last quarter of the 20 th century, namely the capture of the paracel islands in 1974 and the spratly islands partially in 1988. International law, conflicting claims, and alternative frameworks for dispute resolution. The artificial islands being built in the south china sea have since been militarized, bringing the dispute to an alarming and threatening place. We own the the spratly because it lies on our 200 nm border. Philippines and china concerning their maritime dispute in the south china sea. Jul 19, 2015 as is shown, the spratly islands dispute has been viewed through mostly realist and structural realist lenses and to a lesser extent through liberal ones. Small wonder that neighbouring countries claim territorial ownership. Your indian navy base argument was simply based on incorrect information. Chinas standpoint with respect to international law and territorial disputes as. Singapore was one of the 14 states of malaysia from 1963 to 1965. Chinese involvement in the spratly island dispute in the south china sea. Resolution of the dispute is likely in only four ways. Frances annexation of six of the spratly islands that month. The dispute is characterised by diplomatic stalemate and the employment of military pressure techniques such as military occupation of disputed territory in the advancement of national territorial claims.
In terms of national security, these islands are important due to their location in the south china sea, where many merchant ships pass through to deliver goods, people, and energy products to asianpacific countries. The paper highlights the evolution of the dispute and current developments within the south china sea. They lie on a shallow continental shelf which has an average depth of only 600 feet. Navy told the japan times on tuesday that it had sailed a warship near the contested spratly islands in the south china sea home to fortified island islands built by china on. Abstract the spratly islands of the south china sea are a potential tinder box in the region.
The spratly islands, in the southern reaches of the south china sea, have become the focus of an unstabilising territorial dispute. Later in 1956, tomas cloma, a filipino, independently declared a state on the islands, calling them freedomland. In the end, the conflict in the spratly islands is not one for the united. Spratly islands military bases revealed spatial source. Essay about reasons for the spratly island disputes 465 words. D 960, it was not until 1946 that taiwan took possession of the itu aba islandthe largest spratly island, and 1951 that china claimed the spratlys. Island and matsu island conflict between government of laos and north viet nambacked pathet lao forces uprising of the prodalai lama faction over the tibetan problems border dispute conflict between u. An international history of the dispute in the south china sea. As is shown, the spratly islands dispute has been viewed through mostly realist and structural realist lenses and to a lesser extent through liberal ones. Territorial disputes in the south china sea wikipedia.
Five of the seas littoral states or political entities lay conflicting claims to all or part of the island group and have set up military outposts in them as prospects of significant hydrocarbon resources in the sea floor mount. The area includes coral reefs, rock formations, islets, cays, atolls and 18 small islands. Spratly islands dispute article about spratly islands. The spratly islands are a disputed zone, with china, malaysia, taiwan, vietnam, brunei and the philippines all advancing territorial claims, and all except brunei occupying at least some of the maritime features in the area. China strategic competition in south and east china seas. Contemporary asian studies series no claim whatsoever over the spratly islands. Ho park research fellow in east asian legal studies, harvard law school, cambridge, massachusetts. Why does the united states care about what happens to the. For the dispute over sovereignty to islands in the south china sea the. Chinas claim of sovereignty over spratly and paracel islands. The spratly islands are located in the central region of the south china sea. Malaysia and the philippines have contended that they do not claim the spratly islands because they do not claim spratly island, itself see below. As a result, roc officials claim that taiwan was the first to occupy part of the spratly chain and was the first to assert.
Download pdf 0 mb abstract the spratly islands dispute is a regional maritime territorial sovereignty dispute which involves six countries in the south china sea china, taiwan, vietnam, philippines, malaysia and brunei. The islands were sporadically visited throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by mariners from different european powers including either richard or william spratly, after whom the island group derives. Vietnam, malaysia, and brunei also claim the island group in whole or in part. Introduction dn august, 1990, in singapore, premier li peng of the peoples republic of china the prc reaffirmed chinas sovereignty over xisha and nansha islands. After japans withdrawal from the region at the end of world war ii, the roc stationed troops on itu aba island. Reasons why philippines has the strongest claim of spratly islands. Spratly dispute, where ownership of the islands is claimed wholly or. The spratly islands dispute can be looked at from a variety of angles. Philippines and china dispute over the spratly islands and. The currently most contentious territorial dispute concerns the spratly archipelago. The archipelago lies off the coasts of the philippines and malaysia sabah, about one third of the way from there to southern vietnam.
Spratly islands are closer to palawan than to vietnam and much more than to china. Territorial dispute of the spratly islands in the south. The findings revealed that the six countries advance their claims over the spratly islands on the bases of sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction, economic and strategic interests. Hagues south china sea spratly verdict all about real estate.
This marine environment, including more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls, cays, and islands, has a rich ecosystems, but is mired in a tugofwar between several nations. The united states official said that it is now time to counter and challenge chinese behavior in their rapid reclamation, that without us military action in the south china sea risked inadvertently reinforcing beijings territorial claims wherein some allies in the region have, in contrast, expressed concern to washington that a slow change in the u. The malaysian foreign ministrys statement is clearly worded so that there is no scope for any complaint alleging ambiguity. The spratly islands are seen to have rich fishing grounds and are believed to have guano. Peace and conflict monitor, the management of the spratly. The first possible recorded human interaction with the spratly islands dates back as far as 3bce and is based on the discovery of coins left by chinese mariners. Prospects for peace in spratly islands dispute politics essay. Western definition regarding freedom of the seas, and. Island disputes and maritime regime building in east asia. Why spratly islands is important to china, and philippines. Malaysia was formed on 16 september 1963 in the merger of the federation of malaya with the former british colonies of north borneo, sarawak and singapore. Malaysia is reluctant in joint development of the spratly islands area but is actively exploiting the resources itself and trying to enhance its claim over.
South china sea and east asia territorial disputes. Oct 11, 2014 for the spratly island dispute, the u. Introduction the spratly island the spratly islands are a group of more than 750 reefs,2 islets, atolls, cays and islands in the south china sea. Settlement of disputes under the 1982 united nations.
It also notes that while asean has tried to manage the dispute multilaterally through dialogue and consultation, it has not yet been successful in playing a mediating role due to a lack of consensus among its member states. China added missile systems on spratly islands in south china sea. Taiwan, which occupies this island, calls it taiping island. Chinese general visits disputed spratly islands in south. Resolving the spratly islands dispute might rename the. These island disputes clearly illustrate the puzzling pattern of continuity and mutual restraint in east asias territorial conflicts. This book explores the three most prominent island disputes in east asia. After the war, both france and japan relinquished the islands. Michael bennett, the peoples republic of china and the use of international law in. The dispute of the spratly island features is a longstanding issue among the six littoral coastal parties china, taiwan, vietnam, the philippines, malaysia and brunei around the south china sea. There is no generally accepted definition of the spratly islands. Maritime boundary in the waters north of the natuna islands between. And wiki is not a valid source when it comes to sensitive political issues.
Security implications of conflict in the south china. Spratly island dispute spratly islands dispute the spratly islands of the south china sea are potential sources of different natural resources. Chinas claim of sovereignty over spratly and paracel. As a vietnamese, i am rather certain that vietnam government. In order to set forth these problems, it will first be necessary to describe the geography of the spratly islands, their location, physical composition, what exactly is disputed, why, and by whom. I have gathered facts that support the claims of the philippines over the spratly islands and the scarborough shoal. Sanya city includes the disputed spratly islands on a cruise route. Since then, the island became res nullius and available for occupation. Laymon jones, a member of the americanphilippine commission, gives his input on the spratly island dispute between the philippines and china.
The south china sea territorial dispute is a complex issue in international. Why philippines has the strongest claim of spratly islands. Cloma then sold his claim to the philippine government and in 1978, president marcos declared the spratly islands, or the kalayaan islands, as philippine. The dispute is characterised by diplomatic stalemate and the employment of military pressure techniques. Pdf disputes and overlapping claims over spratly islands. Declaration on the spratlys and south china sea, may 10, 1995. China, taiwan, and the philippines are not the only claimants to the spratly islands. Maritime briefing v2 n1 nguyen thai hoc foundation. This essay argues that taking a constructivist approach through discourse analysis as described by lene hansen 1 will highlight essential and previously neglected dynamics of the dispute.
733 427 882 1532 1406 579 457 10 444 732 122 69 213 776 1212 204 924 865 1530 414 1335 368 161 711 360 420 1520 369 1234 1264 715 1426 783 90 33 1107 497 1084