Spratly Islands, a landmark of regional security in the South China Sea Cover Image

Spratly Islands, a landmark of regional security in the South China Sea
Spratly Islands, a landmark of regional security in the South China Sea

Author(s): Alexandra DAN
Subject(s): Energy and Environmental Studies, Security and defense, Geopolitics
Published by: Editura Militară
Keywords: Competition; cooperation; interests; militarization; security; sovereignty; territorial disputes;

Summary/Abstract: The decades of strategic competition that are deep buried into the gunpowder and blood stained water of the South China Sea are foremost rooted in the extensive value of the Spratly Islands. From economic to geopolitics, with a nod to national value, the Spratlys encompass the embodiment of national interests that aroused dreadful tempests over the Asian continent. The timeline of the past narratives depicts rampant clashes that still tarnish the memories of the claimant states that are gradually drawn into a new reality forged on the China’s stunning rise. Outlined on the assumption that the states’ interests are rendered with respect to the system dynamics, the main objective of the paper is to investigate the evolution of the dispute shaped on antagonistic views, national pride and interdependencies. Pinpointing the grounds for the strategic competition, identifying the levels of the main players, the research attempts to depict China’s power projection in the Spratly Islands as the prime incentive on the regional scene.

  • Issue Year: 2018
  • Issue No: 1-2
  • Page Range: 31-39
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: English