South China Sea dispute: Explained

The South China Sea is not just a body of water but a cauldron of international tension bordered by multiple nations, with each staking their claim.

From Chinese and Philippine vessels facing off in the South China Sea, to the US and the Philippines blowing up ships in joint military efforts, tense encounters and the tangled web of competing national interests have made the South China Sea increasingly dangerous.

But why all the fuss?

What's behind the layering disputes in the South China Sea and could it lead to armed conflict?

This story was produced in collaboration with SBS Filipino.

Presented by Maridel Martinez
Produced by Pranjali Sehgal and Andrew Chappelle

00:00 What's going on in the South China Sea?
01:06 Why is the South China Sea so important?
02:23 Who is claiming what?
05:18 Why should Australia and the US care?
09:58 How can this be resolved?

#china #philippines #marcos #southchinasea #worldnews #trading

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[rexlamis]

The rest is South China sea but inside our Phil EEZ is called West Philippine Sea.

[gtrgtr]

Greed is the problem when you take what is not yours and BULLY other smaller countries just because you are a big country.

[InTokyo-mbdp]

It’s actually called the West Philippine Sea because it is to the West of the Philippines. Calling it anything else otherwise is going against the UNCLOS. Please get it right

[raulcaalim]

Thank you australia for supporting the Philippines

[juns.]

The root of all this conflict is chinas 9 dash line and now 10 dash line.

[MrDejavouz]

Its all about China trespassing Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone. Claiming part of the sea that belongs to the Philippines. China is obviously very far from the Mainland, China dont have the rights. Filipino fishermen is affected by this illegal claims

[johnsumera]

The West Philippines sea make it right. Not China duhh

[zeniehudson]

Please continue to carry a Torch of truth about West Philippines Sea. Thank you.

[MangWinnieChannel]

10 dash line is the biggest joke in human history

[George-xqnt]

What if the scenario or condition is reverse. China was in the position of the Philippines and Philippines was of China, both are signatories on UNCLOS and here come the result favorable to a small country, China. Don't you think China won't assert its territorial right on the sea based on UNLOS' ruling? China was claiming historical right based on their Ancestors' map which was not recognized by any ASEAN affected countries. If it was their position from very beginning, they weren't supposed to sign recognizing UNCLOS as governing body on the right of the sea limit of member country/ies.

[howwow-sgig]

The territorial scope of the Philippines does not include the South China Sea Islands. The territorial scope of the Philippines is governed by the 1898 Spanish-American Peace Treaty, the 1900 Spanish-American Treaty on the Cession of the Outlying Islands of the Philippines, and the 1930 Treaty Delimiting the Boundary Between British North Borneo and the American Philippines. ” determined by a series of international treaties including China's Nansha Islands and Scarborough Shoal are not within the territorial scope of the Philippines as stipulated in the above-mentioned treaties. The Philippines has occupied some of the islands and reefs of China's Nansha Islands by force, and has made illegal territorial claims to some of the islands and reefs of China's Scarborough Shoal and Nansha Islands through the so-called "Island Baseline Act" and other domestic legislation.

[Dimmsy]

At 1:06 may i ask why did you colored the Taiwan like light red or pink? Just asking.

[LutherS]

Democratic countries find it very difficult to deal with China on a "level playing field" because China follows the Marxist & Leninist ideology of Mao Zedung as a totalitarian communist country that doesn’t believe in individual freedom, basic human rights, and free speech; and with different system of justice and weird ideology of "peaceful co-existence" based on its terms, with other countries. As far as China is concerned, "might is right"; and the use of economic and military pressure is necessary in dealing with justice and its relations with other countries. And even if it is a signatory to the UNCLOS, it does not follow its provisions/regulations by ignoring the EEZ of its neighbouring countries. It imposes its own rules and illegally claims sovereignty over 90% of the South China Sea; and builds artificial islands over the Spratlys, militarizing the same with impunity as a superpower, regardless of whether they are inimical to other countries' legal rights, economic and national interests. Moreover, it pretends to help small countries through predatory lending policies that small countries could ill afford to pay off, providing China with the "prerogative to own or lease for 99 years" same developmental project that China had built using their own Chinese workers, e.g. port in Djibouti, port of Sri Lanka, and Gwadar Port in Pakistan. China has become a BIG PARIAH country in the world.

[athenaperez]

If only China knows how to follows international law then there will be no tension.

Both Philippines and China told their side of the story about the claim at the 2016 arbitration, with solid evidence and facts China lost their claim but they don't follow international law their greediness and barbaric actions cause tensions.

[leonilacolinares]

Imaginary line is not recognized by the international law

[hiliahili]

If Philippine government refuse to sign the China-ASEAN South China Sea Code of Conduct, they have nobody themself to blame if conflict escalate.

[jpao]

One of the major reasons why PH is more threatened than the other claimants, is because most of the land being claimed lies within PH's EEZ. Other claimants doesn't have that problem, and they don't have a literal chinese military installment near their land territory, unlike PH.

We all share the same problem here, but it's more suffocating for PH since we're literally at the throat of it all.

[giangla]

I never have seen China stopped any Foreign's ship since the Pacific Ocean was born, so where the freedom navigation come from and when did it happen?

[marinettemamiit]

Kung kasing lakas lang ng pilipinas ang armas ng japan di makakaporma ang mga intsik sa teritoryo ng pilipinas malakas lang loob dahil sa armas pero sa tapang at kakayahan sa pakikipaglaban walang wala mga yan sa pilipino

[leonilacolinares]

No one disturb south China Sea. But West Philippine Sea is Philippine waters that China wants to own at it starts trouble. Nations should know how to follow UNCLOS an international law.