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Fear and ambition: why the South China Sea is so important to Beijing
- It’s not just about rocks, reefs and resources – vital shipping lanes, deep-sea exploration, Taiwan and the global order are at stake, analysts say
Reading Time:7 minutes
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Tensions are mounting in the South China Sea – a hotly contested and globally significant waterway that’s become a flashpoint for conflict. In the first instalment of a four-part series we look at why it’s so critical for Beijing.
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Boiling tensions between Beijing and Manila have given disputes over the South China Sea new prominence, with analysts warning that hostilities could escalate and regional polarisation may worsen.
Beijing’s approach to asserting its sovereignty claims to most of the waterway – often at the expense of its neighbours – is back in the spotlight, as China increasingly views these territorial disputes through the lens of its rivalry with the US.
It is not just rocks, reefs and resources at stake. The South China Sea is rich in oil, natural gas and fish, but it is also one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, through which more than 20 per cent of global trade passes.
China’s expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
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For these smaller neighbours, their sovereign rights, fisheries and economic livelihoods are on the line. For Beijing, it is more about vital shipping lanes, deep-sea exploration, its goal for “reunification” with Taiwan, and even the future regional and global order, analysts say.
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History, money and military: why the South China Sea is so important to Beijing
History, money and military: why the South China Sea is so important to Beijing
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