Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea: Navigating Rough Waters

This volume provides in-depth analysis of the complexities of on-going territorial dispute in the South China Sea region through a multitude of perspectives of the involved stakeholders. Convening perspectives from seven countries, the contributors are renowned scholars on both sides of the Pacific. In the light of current events, it recognizes that the dispute has the potential to destabilize East and Southeast Asia and even the entire Asia-Pacific if it is left unattended. The collection seeks to disentangle the historical, legal and political aspects of the dispute to facilitate a more practical and nuanced understanding of its complexities with individual chapters examining opportunities to find a way forward, while also taking into account the difference in viewpoint. Editors Huang Jing and Andrew Billo, both experts in the politics of the region, tie these pieces together through a comprehensive and succinct Iintroduction and conclusion respectively, arguing that the focus should be on effective management of the dispute to prevent dangerous and potentially destabilizing incidents at sea.

Heightened tensions in the South China Sea have raised serious concerns about the dangers of conflict in this region as a result of unresolved, complex territorial disputes. This volume offers detailed insights into a range of country-perspectives, addressing the historical, legal, structural, regional and multilateral dimensions of these disputes

Jing Huang is Professor and Director of the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore. He is an internationally recognised expert on Chinese politics, China's foreign relations and security issues in Asia-Pacific. He has written two books and numerous journal articles, book chapters, policy papers and op-eds on Chinese politics, China's foreign policy, the military, US-China relations, and security issues in Asia-Pacific.

Andrew Billo is Associate Fellow with the Asia Society in New York, USA, having worked there previously as Assistant Director for Policy Programmes. Andrew provides frequent commentaries, op-eds, and research reports for international news outlets including CNN, Project Syndicate, The Atlantic, and a range of regional publications, including the Straits Times Singapore, Bangkok Post, The Diplomat, and the South China Morning Post. Prior to working at the Asia Society, he worked for seven years as an officer with the International Organization for Migration and was posted to Vietnam, Jordan, and Cambodia.

1. Introduction: Unknotting Tangled Lines in the South China Sea Dispute; Jing Huang and Sharinee Jagtiani

PART I: ORIGINS

2. Origins of the South China Sea Disputes; Nguyen Thi Lan Anh

PART II: LEGAL DIMENSIONS

3. "Setting Aside Disputes and pursuing Joint Development' at Crossroads in South China Sea; Zhang Xinjun

4. The Philippines v. China Case and the South China Sea Disputes; Robert Beckman

PART III: THE ROLE OF AS