Bully in the neighborhood
The world is beginning to see that China is an aggressive, belligerent country that feels it can ignore international laws strictly based on it’s own perception. Over the past six months, tensions in the South China Sea have continued to escalate due to various factors, including territorial disputes, military activities, and resource extraction. China’s expansive territorial claims in the region, as defined by the now “ten-dash line,” have been a significant point of contention with neighboring countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Japan and Taiwan.
Recent incidents in the South China Sea include clashes between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels, Chinese and Philippine vessels, even Japan is seeing a rise in tensions with China due to territorial claims to Japan’s southern islands near Taiwan. Then you have water cannon attacks on fishing and supply boats, and reports of cyanide dumping by Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea. It is believed that China is trying to remove fishing claims by killing those fishing areas. Then you have
the placement of barriers to keep local fishermen out of traditional fishing areas and the increase in dangerous maneuvers by Chinese Coast Guard and it’s Maritime Militia to block fishing and resupply missions to various communities or outposts. These actions have raised concerns about environmental damage and the safety of maritime activities in the region.
Additionally, there have been reports of increased military deployments and exercises by China in the South China Sea, further heightening tensions with other claimant states and drawing international criticism. The United States and other countries have conducted freedom of navigation operations to challenge China’s excessive maritime claims, leading to confrontations between naval forces. However it has also been reported that the U.S. Military budget will be removing moneys from carrier deployments, which could impact the South China Sea.
Moreover, speculation about a secret agreement or understanding reached between the previous administration and China regarding the South China Sea has fueled debates and calls for transparency in diplomatic dealings. These dealings, if they actually happened, have been claimed unconstitutional by the current administration. The details and implications of any such agreement remain unclear, but they have underscored the complex geopolitical dynamics at play in the region.
As tensions persist in the South China Sea, international efforts to uphold freedom of navigation, respect international law, and promote peaceful resolutions to disputes continue to be essential. It is also important to note that because of these tensions, the different involved counties are forming agreements to support each other. The situation in the South China Sea remains fluid and subject to rapid developments that could have far-reaching implications for regional stability and global security.