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GS Paper II – Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interest. |
Why in the news?
Recently, Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships collided near the Spratly Islands.
Significance of the South China Sea :
- Strategic Location:
- The Indo-Chinese peninsula, which includes Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, borders the South China Sea to the north, Indonesia and Brunei to the south, and the Philippines to the east (also known as the West Philippine Sea).
- It is connected to the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea (both marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean) by the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait.
- Commercial Importance:
- The South China Sea is a vital worldwide commercial route, with around USD 3.37 trillion worth of trade passing through it in 2016.
- The South China Sea accounts for one-third of all worldwide shipping, and 60% of all trade, both by volume and value, is carried out by sea, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
- With an estimated 64% of its trade travelling via the South China Sea, China, the second-largest economy in the world, is largely dependent on the region. By contrast, these seas are used in just 14% of US trade.
- About 55% of India’s trade is with this region.
- Fishing Ground:
- Millions of people in the region rely on the South China Sea as a key source of food security and a living wage. It is also a rich fishing ground.
Disputes in the South China Sea :
Territorial claims to land features (islands and reefs) and the territorial seas are linked with the South China Sea issue. The Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, Pratas, Natuna Islands, and Scarborough Shoal are the South China Sea’s main island and reef formations.
Up to 70 disputed reefs and islands are in dispute; on these contested features, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan have all constructed more than ninety outposts.
With its “nine-dash line” map, China claims as much as 90% of the sea; to establish dominance, the country has built military outposts and physically extended its islands. Since 2013, China has created 3,200 acres of additional land in the Paracel and Spratly Islands through massive dredging and artificial island construction. China also maintains sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal through a continuous Coast Guard presence.
Efforts to resolve the dispute :
Resolution of the Conflict:
Code of Conduct (CoC): Establishing a Community of Competencies (CoC) to oversee the issue has been the focus of talks between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), but because of China’s substantial claims and internal ASEAN conflicts, the talks have not moved forward quickly.
The DoC, or Declaration on the Conduct of Parties, By adopting the DoC in 2002, China and ASEAN reaffirmed their commitment to using peaceful means to resolve disputes in line with international law. The CoC, which is still elusive, was supposed to be made possible by the DoC.
Arbitral Proceedings: In 2013, the Philippines filed a UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration against China.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) declared in 2016 that China’s “nine-dash line” claim was incompatible with UNCLOS and rejected its argument.
China disputed the PCA’s authority, rejected the arbitration decision, and reaffirmed its historical rights and sovereignty.
Way Forward :
Multilateral Engagement: To support diplomatic efforts and guarantee that any resolution is just, impartial, and compliant with international standards, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, encourage active participation from the international community, including nations outside the region.
Environmental Protection: According to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, fish stocks in this region have been depleted by 70 to 95% since the 1950s, and coral reefs have been declining by 16% per decade. As a result, cooperation is required in efforts to protect the marine environment in the South China Sea, including measures to combat illegal fishing, reduce pollution, and preserve biodiversity.
Examine the idea of establishing protected zones or maritime peace parks in the South China Sea. Like national parks on land, these places could be set aside for nonpartisan uses like study, conservation, and tourist.
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