Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
ASEAN Chi d th
Sout C a Sea
South China Sea
Professor Carl Thayer
George Mason University
George Mason University
March 22, 2011
Background:
the So th
the South
China Sea
•Semi‐
enclosed sea
enclosed sea
•9 littoral
states
Sea Lines of Communication ‐ SLOC
Sea Lines of Communication
UN Convention on Law of the Sea
UN Convention on Law of the Sea
Hydrocarbons & Fisheries
Hydrocarbons & Fisheries
Competing Territorial Claims
Competing Territorial Claims
• Two
Two major island
major island
archipelagoes
• Paracel Islands
• Spratly Islands
Spratly Islands
• Islands in
international law
Taiwan and
•Taiwan and
China make
same claim
same claim
•China’s
claim is
claim is
based on a
map
map
produced by
Nationalist
Nationalist
Government
in 1947
in 1947
Overlapping Territorial Claims
pp g
Brunei
The Philippines Claim
Kalayaan or Freedom Land
Extended Continental Shelf May 2009
China’s
Response to
Response to
Claims for
Extended
Continental
o e a
Shelf
Spratly
Il d
Islands
•175 ‐ 200
insular
features:
islets, rocks,
reefs,
reefs,
shoals,
cays sand
cays, sand
banks, sea
mounts t
Chronology South China Sea
Chronology South China Sea
• Taiwan on Itu
Taiwan on Itu Aba since 1956
since 1956
• 1974 China seizes southern Paracels
• No Chinese presence prior to 1988
Chi i 988
– Chinese‐Vietnamese clash, China lodges forces on
Johnson South Reef
h h f
• 1992 China adopts Law on Territorial Waters
• Oil exploration and “scramble for the Spratlys”
• 1992 ASEAN issues Declaration
1992 ASEAN issues Declaration
Taiwan
Itu Aba (Taiping)
(Taiping) ‐ Taiwan
Paracel
Islands
•Amphitrite
Group
•1974 China
seizes
i
Crescent
Group
Chinese Airstrip Woody Island, Paracel Isands
China-Vietnam Naval Clash March 1988
Chronology Spratly Islands
Chronology Spratly Islands
• 1995
1995 Mischief Reef occupied, ASEAN issues
Mischief Reef occupied ASEAN issues
another Declaration
• 2002 Declaration on Conduct of Parties DOC
2002 Declaration on Conduct of Parties DOC
• 2005‐08 Chinese Naval base on Hainan Island
• 2007 China declares new Administrative
Region over South China Sea
• 2008‐present increased tensions draws US
diplomatic intervention
p
China’s Law on Territorial Sea and
the Contiguous Zone, Feb 2, 1992
South China Sea Garrisons
South China Sea Garrisons