Spratly Islands — 9DASHLINE

Clashes in the South China Sea, looking back at the PCA Ruling

Written by Varenya Singh and Chetan Rana

China's persistent rejection of the tribunal's jurisdiction and ruling, along with its continuous assertion of sovereignty, underscores the limitations of international legal mechanisms in addressing deep-rooted geopolitical disputes.

Pacific, Power Politics9DLMarch 11, 20249DASHLINE, Clashes in the South China Sea, looking back at the PCA Ruling, Chetan Rana, Varenya Singh, South China Sea, Cold War, Europe, West Asia, Ukraine, Gaza, China, Philippines, South China Sea (SCS), SCS, China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, map, standard map, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), littoral states, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines Coast Guard, Sierra Madre, Second Thomas Shoal, Spratly Islands, Filipino, grey-zone activities, non-military vessels, territorial claims, maritime militia, Beijing, Manila, vessels, maritime territorial disputes, arbitral proceedings, arbitration, Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), PCA, PCA award of 2016, PCA ruling, China’s nine-dash line, nine-dash line, Annex VII, Arbitration Tribunal under Annex VII of UNCLOS, UNCLOS, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, sovereignty, delimitation, artificially built islands, delimitation of state boundaries, Article 9, unilateral, fishermen, marine resources, fishing, 12 nautical mile, extractive, purely extractive activity, self-dependent economic activity, maritime fishing zones, coral reefs, turtle, clam, international law, dispute, ASEAN, Code of Conduct (CoC), COC, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., non-claimant states, Australia, Japan, United States, us, USA, militarising, military exercises, sea lanes, environmental crisis, securitisation, marine diversity, sustainability, realpolitik, Israel-Hamas conflict

Southeast Asian maritime states are hedging to stay afloat amidst US-China rivalry

Written by Hunter Marston

As US-China rivalry hardens, becoming more zero-sum, and China continues to challenge the territorial sovereignty of maritime Southeast Asian states, it will become increasingly difficult to sustain such hedging policies.

No land in sight: Prospects of a South China Sea Code of Conduct

Written by Dr Apila Sangtam

The differing stances on the legal nature of the COC and China's assertive actions in contested waters pose significant obstacles to reaching a comprehensive and effective agreement.

Southeast Asia9DLAugust 3, 20239DashLine, Apila Sangtam, ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with China, ASEAN, China, Jakarta, Code of Conduct (COC), south china sea, Wang Yi, Qin Gang, Beijing, Vietnam, Johnson Reef, the Philippines, Mischief Reef, Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), Ian Storey, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore, Arbitration Tribunal under Annex VII of UNCLOS, UNCLOS, Spratly Islands, Le Thu Huong, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Arbitral Tribunal's Award in 2016, nine-dash line, international law, Li Keqiang, 37th ASEAN Summit, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Covid-19 pandemic, Myanmar, 2021 military coup, v, transnational crime, marine environmental protection, maritime safety, oil and gas, militarising, Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), Paracel Islands, Hanoi, 2016 South China Sea Award, grey zone, Chinese fishing boats, Chinese research vessel, No land in sight: Prospects for the South China Sea Code of Conduct, Nine Dash Line

South China Sea: An environmental tragedy of the commons

Written by Sabrina Moles

Tensions in the South China Sea are creating a dangerous, competitive pattern in the relations among the countries involved. Sovereignty claims, together with the urgent demand for food, energy resources, and profits are all defining a set of priorities that are increasingly disregarding environmental damage.

Faultlines9DLDecember 7, 20229DashLine, South China Sea: an environmental tragedy of the commons, Sabrina Moles, Philippines, Permanent Court of Arbitration, China, Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, Beijing, sovereignty, maritime claims, South China Sea, nine-dash line, Chinese islands, Manila, environmental degradation, military activities, territorial disputes, fish scarcity, energy demands, Climate Change, pollution, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, SCS, economic interests, intense fishing, Brunei, Cambodia, indonesia, malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, thailand, vietnam, fishing industry, IUU fishing, Illegal, unregulated, and unreported, FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization, UN, IUU fishing index, fish stocks, fishing vessels, exclusive economic zone, EEZ, Vietnamese fishing vessels, Chinese ships, fishermen, maritime NGOs, cyanide, Dr Wilfredo Y. Licuanan, Automatic Identification System, AIS, Milko Mariano Schvartzman, maritime energy nationalism, US Energy Information Agency, Southeast Asia, Center for Naval Analyses, China-Vietnam, maritime law enforcement agencies, marine traffic, oil and gas drilling, offshore oil rigs, US Energy Information Administration, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, Scarborough Shoal, UN Ocean Conference, WTO, James Borton

The 2016 South China Sea arbitration award: Can the past and present foretell the future?

Written by James Borton and Lucio Blanco Pitlo III

Sustained domestic pressure, efforts by other littoral states to align their claims with UNCLOS, and a growing chorus of countries referencing the award in their note verbales strengthen the hands of leaders who may come out more assertively on the issue.

Realising the Great Change: Beijing’s South China Sea lawfare strategy

Written by Ryan Lucas

Too often, foreign policy analysts have focused principally on the hard power component of China’s ambitions in the South China Sea. This security-centric approach, while important, risks downplaying a critical piece of China’s South China Sea strategy in the post-pandemic era.

Whitsun Reef: The next escalation point?

Written by Jay L Batongbacal

Manila must resume its original policy of standing by international law, reinforce its alliance with the US and strategic partnerships with middle powers like Japan and Australia, and deepen friendships with other external parties such as the UK and the EU.

Call for papers: The South Pacific

In March we invite articles that seek to explore issues relating to the South Pacific and its importance for the region in the months and years ahead. In addition to articles focused on specific issues such as recent developments in the Pacific Islands Forum, we also welcome features that examine issues such as climate change, trade, resources, governance, technology, sports diplomacy and great power competition.

News9DLFebruary 23, 2021South China Sea, China, Malaysia, taiwan, Australia, Brunei, Vietnam, ASEAN, FONOPS, Freedom of Navigation, US Navy, Indonesia, Fiery Cross Reef, Spratly Islands, Philippines

India seeks to strengthen and redefine relations with Indonesia

Written by Niranjan Marjani

Owing to a focus on continental South Asia, Indonesia has long remained a neglected entity in India’s regional foreign policy. However, as the geopolitical realities of the Indo-Pacific region continue to change in the face of a rising and assertive China, India and Indonesia are looking to coordinate their security policies and increase trade.

Pacific9DLFebruary 15, 2021Indonesia, Indian Ocean, COVID, Covid-19, CSP, CECA, RCEP, Jakata, New Delhi, ASEAN, BrahMos, Aceh, Andaman, Nicobar, Modi, SAGAR, South China Sea, Malacca, Natuna Islands, Natunas, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, Jokowi, IIBF, Double Fish Hook Strategy, Coco Islands, Diego Garcia, Reunion Island, France, Oman, Australia, Mauritius, Duqm Port

What the numbers can (and can’t) tell us about the South China Sea dispute

Written by Andrew Chubb

This brief, broad-brush picture emerges from the Maritime Assertiveness Times Series (MATS) project, which is compiling corresponding data on other states in the South China Sea, as well as an East China Sea series. Data collection and coding is still in progress, but once complete, the project will enable us to ask an array of new questions on the dynamics of maritime disputes in East Asia.

Call for papers: South China Sea

In February we invite articles that seek to explore issues relating to the South China Sea dispute and implications for the region for the months and years ahead. In addition to articles focused on specific issues such as land reclamation and/or specific claims we also welcome features designed to connect key issues such as trade, resources, governance freedom of navigation and great power competition.

News9DLJanuary 7, 2021South China Sea, China, Malaysia, taiwan, Australia, Brunei, Vietnam, ASEAN, FONOPS, Freedom of Navigation, US Navy, Indonesia, Fiery Cross Reef, Spratly Islands, Philippines

The United States rewards the Philippines with clarity

Written by Yoichiro Sato

The United States has warned that any land reclamation of Scarborough Reef by China would trigger the US-Philippines mutual defence treaty. Thus, Washington seems to have set, for the first time, an explicit red line in the South China Sea.

Southeast Asia9DLJuly 15, 2020South China Sea, Vietnam, Philippines, China, 9-Dash Line, United States, Spratly Islands, FONOPS

South China Sea: Is countering China still possible?

Written by Panos Iordanidis

South China Sea is a region full of geopolitical competition. No wonder why: Almost one third of global shipping trade passes through this maritime route, as well as the overwhelming majority of China’s oil imports.

Southeast Asia9DLApril 1, 2020China, 9-Dash Line, Spratly Islands, FONOPS, Paracel Islands, ASEAN

Why China and Taiwan agree on the South China Sea

Written by Bertil Lintner

The question remains which China the Spratlys belong to and for how much longer Taipei will maintain the historical notion of being part of a country from which it was separated from in 1949.

East Asia9DLMarch 30, 2020China, South China Sea, Taiwan, Spratly Islands