Abstract
China claims South China Sea as its sovereign domain where it possesses the right to intervene
militarily and economically. However, USA considers South China Sea as a common global
passage where rule of law and freedom of navigation should prevail.These diverging viewpoints
coexist in a wobbly peace environment where both US and China want their own version of
international law to be applied and have occasionally resorted to minor armed conflicts over this
issue. Every state claiming authority over South China Sea is willing to use coercion in order to
get what they want, however, the extent of how far they are willing to go is not clear. This is
resulting in a show of gunboat diplomacy involving maritime force of influential states that
strives to manipulate the policy makers of the relevant nations (Costlow, 2012). The paper will
focus on the situation in the South China Sea. South China Sea is not only claimed by China but
various other Asian nations. Does this territorial strife possess the power to turn the region into a
war zone? Being one of the most active trade routes in the world having complicated geography
and the diverging regional and international interests makes it very sensitive area. China being
the emerging economic giant gives competition to the USA in many spheres. Although America
has no territorial claim in the South China Sea, it has strategic and economic interests. Where
China wants a complete hegemonic control of the area, USA wants to find a way where free
unchecked trade could be the future for all.Accompanied with numerous other South Asian
nations claiming various portions of the region, a constant tension exists in the region.
Kanwal Hayat, Rehana Saeed Hashmi. (2019) China’s Territorial Claim at South China Sea: A Strategic Competition with USA and its Implications, South Asian Studies, Volume 34, Issue 2.
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