Beijing's South China Sea Debate

摘要

The three million square kilometres of the South China Sea are of particular strategic importance. Sovereignty over a plethora of small islands, atolls, rocks and coral reefs, including the two main island groupings of the Spratlys and the Paracels, is contested through overlapping claims by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. While China has, over the past two decades, made impressive overall progress towards improving relations with its Southeast Asian neighbours, mounting tensions over these competing claims threaten to undermine its charm offensive.