Spratly Islands Dispute: Can Asean Provide the Framework for a Solution

摘要

The conflict in the Spratly Islands involves six nations; China, Taiwan, thePhilippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. Each country has at least a partial claim to the islands. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) consists of seven nations; Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Singapore and since July of 1995, Vietnam. Four of these ASEAN nations also have claims within the Spratly Islands. This study explores the possibility that ASEAN, an organization that now hosts a regional forum to address regional security issues, might be able to provide a framework for a solution to the major regional security challenge of the Spratly Islands dispute.