Why is the Spratlys archipelago so important to the Chinese?
Maritime corridor for $5 trillion in annual world trade, fish, hydrocarbons (oil and natural gas) in the sea bed–yes, all true. But most importantly, China wants to control the maritime area alongside its eastern coast, as any great power in that situation would. By establishing some form of ownership recognized by other countries, China would have veto power over activities in the South China Sea that Beijing does not approve of, such as military operations by the US Navy.
Don’t forget that the South China Sea is a major passageway of world commerce. In a sense, it is the lifeline of Japan and the East Asian economies because the oil from the Middle East flows through the Indian Ocean through the South China Sea. If this is interrupted by any arbitrary limitation imposed by China, then this can paralyze the economies of the region. The safety and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is very important to the whole world. What is China’s message in this intrusion? They always profess their undying friendship for the Philippines. But we know that such statements are always subject to proof. When we look for proof, there is not much that we can see. The Chinese Navy, one fine morning, just got in there and started building these military-type barracks, which they call “fishermen’s sanctuaries” to shield their fishermen from typhoons. The trouble is, according to reconnaissance photos by the Philippine Air Force, these structures do not look like fish
Related Questions
- Is it necessary for a Party to be represented by a lawyer in a CN domain name or Chinese domain name dispute administrative proceeding?
- How much does an administrative proceeding in regard to a disputed CN domain name or Chinese domain name cost?
- Why is the Spratlys archipelago so important to the Chinese?
