SOUTH CHINA SEA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

News-CRUX-10     21st May 2024        
QEP Pocket Notes

Context: Recently, amid escalating tensions with China, three Indian warships have arrived in Manila as part of a continuous long-range deployment in the South China Sea to bolster maritime alliances with allied nations.


South China Sea

  • About: It is one of the world's busiest waterways and plays a crucial role in global trade and merchant shipping.
  • Location: The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean
  • Bordering Countries: The People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.
  • Straits: Taiwan Strait, connecting to the East China Sea; the Luzon Strait, linking to the Philippine Sea; straits surrounding Palawan, connecting to the Sulu Sea; the Strait of Singapore, providing access to the Strait of Malacca; and the Karimata and Bangka Strait, connecting to the Java Sea.
  • Major rivers that flow into South China Sea: Pearl, Min, Jiulong, Red, Mekong, Menam, Rajang, Baram, Kapuas, Batang Hari, Musi, Kampar, Indragiri, Pahang, Agno, Pampanga and Pasig Rivers.
  • Reason for Dispute: The South China Sea disputes involve claims over maritime territories and islands by various sovereign states in the region.
  • Countries Party dispute: China, Brunei, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia etc.


Claims Over Islands

  • The Paracel Islands: Claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam.
  • The Spratly Islands: Claimed by China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines.
  • The Scarborough Shoal: Claimed by the Philippines, China and Taiwan.
QEP Pocket Notes