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Mahesh

27/09/24 09:40 AM IST

Storms brewing in East, South China seas

In News
  • The South China Sea lies between China, Taiwan and five Southeast Asian countries — Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Indonesia — and has emerged as one of the most important flashpoints in the Indo-Pacific.
  • China has been aggressively pushing its claims in the South China Sea.
Importance of seas to China
  • China views the East and South China Seas through the prism of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security.
  • South China Sea islands and Diaoyu Islands are inalienable parts of the Chinese territory.”
  • The key maritime trade routes in East Asia pass through these two seas. Taiwan Strait is a critical maritime choke point. The region is home to undersea cables that are important for the global digital economy.
  • As per the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2023, 10 billion barrels of petroleum and petroleum products and 6.7 trillion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas passed through the South China Sea.
  • It is also home to vast reserves of untapped oil and natural gas.
China's presence in the region
  • China has been aggressively pushing its territorial claims in both seas in two ways: by building defence-related infrastructure such as ports, military installations, airstrips, and artificial islands and by pushing back against the claims of regional countries.
  • In the East China Sea, China vehemently contested Japanese claims and, both countries found themselves embroiled in multiple crises, the most notable being the arrest of a Chinese captain of a fishing boat in 2010 and Japan’s nationalisation of the Senkaku islands in 2012.
  • These crises saw both countries taking maximalist positions.
  • China had imposed a ban on the export of rare earth minerals to Japan. In the last few years, there has been a slight easing of tensions over the issue regarding the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.
  • As per the Japan Coast Guard data, 2023 saw the highest level of activity by the Chinese Coast Guard in the contiguous zone of the Senkakus. Owing to China’s assertive foreign policy, its relationship with South Korea, Taiwan and Japan has deteriorated rapidly.
  • The South China Sea has become a major theatre of Chinese belligerence. The power asymmetry between China and the South China Sea claimant countries is large and is growing continuously.
  • China’s navy is also the largest naval force in the world by numbers.
  • Therefore, the South China Sea is seeing the ever-growing projection of Chinese power.
  • For asserting its claims, China has deployed a Coast Guard and maritime militia.
  • The tactics include dangerous and aggressive manoeuvres at sea, harassing resupply missions, ramming vessels, collisions, and using water cannons and military-grade lasers, etc.
  • These tactics are known as ‘grey zone’ operations, which fall short of war but are designed to alter the status quo.
  • China has been actively pushing its claims in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.
  • Chinese Coast Guard ships are considerably heavier and larger in terms of tonnage compared with Coast Guard vessels of other countries.
  • For example, the Chinese vessel CCG 5901 (541 feet long and displaces 12,000 tons) is three times larger than the main ships of the U.S. Coast Guard.
  • Hence, China’s frequent ramming of the Philippines’ vessels is dangerous and risky. There is a chance of miscalculation.
The regional countries have responded in three ways
  • First, they are building their defence capabilities. Defence spending has increased across the Indo-Pacific with regional countries trying to catch up with China.
  • For example, by 2027, Japan wants to double its defence expenditure. The Philippines too is ramping up its defence capabilities and, among others, has acquired the anti-ship, BrahMos missiles from India.
  • Second, regional countries are responding to China’s activities at sea. From 2016 to 2022, Under President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines sought to minimise the friction between Manila and Beijing.
  • Since 2022, the Philippines has been pushing back and publicising these incidents. The change in policy was crafted by the new President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
  • As a result, the frequency of incidents has gone up. Regional countries are engaged in a battle of narratives as well.
  • They are deploying tools such as public diplomacy. The Philippines has been filming the behaviour of Chinese vessels and is releasing it through social media. The Philippines has also taken international journalists along with its resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea. The shaping of perceptions has become a key battleground.
  • Third, the Philippines, Japan and South Korea are treaty allies of the U.S. and are strengthening their defence relationship with it.
  • The U.S. and the Philippines have enhanced their cooperation in the South China Sea to “historic levels” and expanded cooperation in domains such as base access, training and joint exercises.
Way forward
  • Despite the efforts at bolstering the U.S.’ alliances in the Indo-Pacific, concerns remain about American credibility and the impact of the U.S.’ domestic politics on its external security commitments.
  • There is also a debate about whether the U.S. engagement in East Asia balances the Chinese power or fuels conflict.
Source- The Hindu

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