Boiling Tension in the South China Sea
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Tensions are rising in the South China Sea. A large swath of maritime area, commonly known as the nine-dashed line, has been informally claimed by China since 1947. The claim is variously disputed by neighbouring countries. In recent years, regional players have been making increasingly stronger assertions of sovereignty over the tract of water, with vocal friction developing between China and Japan.
In an effort to assuage partners, the US has been making its presence felt in the area. The latest demonstration included a passage of US Navy’s destroyer USS Lassen within 12 miles of Subi Reef, an artificial archipelago built by China approximately midway between Vietnam and the Philippines.
The gesture was not received kindly. During a video conference aimed at defusing the tensions, this last Thursday, between Admiral Wu Shengali, China’s naval commander, and his American counterpart, Admiral John Richardson, the former issued the following warning:
“If the United States continues with these kinds of dangerous, provocative acts, there could well be a seriously pressing situation between frontline forces from both sides on the sea and in the air, or even a minor incident that sparks war,” said Wu, according to a statement issued by the Chinese navy. “(I) hope the US side cherishes the good situation between the Chinese and US navies that has not come easily and avoids these kinds of incidents from happening again,” he added.
The Global Times, a state-run Chinese newspaper, recently ran an editorial claiming China was “not afraid to fight a war” with the US. The piece claimed that in the face of “US harassment” Beijing should “deal with Washington tactfully and prepare for the worst.” It went on to say that “this can convince the White House that China, despite its unwillingness, is not afraid to fight a war with the US in the region, and is determined to safeguard its national interests and dignity.”
Despite the inflammatory rhetoric, the talks – during which the two discussed the “relationship between the two navies” and “the importance of maintaining an on-going dialogue” according to a spokesperson, as well as issues relating to freedom of navigation operations – were deemed “productive” by the Pentagon.
However, with domestic Chinese economic woes aplenty, and with Japanese militarisation and nationalistic rhetoric on the rise, tensions are higher than they’ve been in decades. Whether a spark can indeed ignite the South China Sea remains to be seen.
