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What is the South China Sea Dispute?

Writer's picture: Nora MedlockNora Medlock

In October of 1945, after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II, the Republic of China (ROC) began exercising full jurisdiction over the island known as Taiwan. On October 1st, 1949, after years of fighting between the Chinese Communist and Nationalist parties, Chinese leader Mao Zedong declared the creation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), ending the ROC. From this point on, China was a communist nation. Along with this declaration came the relocation of the Nationalist party to Taiwan. There, along with the 1.2 million citizens who traveled alongside it, they declared their independence as a new sovereign state to be officially known as the “new” Republic of China. Today, one clear issue sparking the South China Sea Dispute is the fact that the PRC still claims their territorial rights over Taiwan, even though Taiwan sees itself as a separate, independent entity. 


Making matters worse for the ROC’s attempt at self governance was the United States’ implementation of the One China Policy. When the United States decided on the move to de-recognize Taiwan as any form of independent self-governing version of China, and recognize the PRC as the sole government of China, other nations followed suit. The one-China policy has become a norm in the world of international relations, only 12 countries maintain diplomatic allyship with Taiwan, and recognize it as a sovereign state under the ROC Government. 


Although the change of China’s name and government happened over 75 years ago, the effects are still being seen in modern day international relations. The South China Sea is located in the Western Pacific Ocean, and borders several Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam. In the middle of the sea are the Spratly and Paracel islands, and the issue of who owns these islands is where the true source of conflict is.


Firstly, Spratly Islands contains over 100 small islands that are highly desirable to many countries in Asia for a number of reasons. Their economic value is quite high, due to the abundant fishing grounds and their location along crucial shipping routes. There is also the potential for significant oil and gas reserves in the seabed surrounding the islands, as well as the space for military bases, which countries such as PRC and Malaysia have already established. Many countries assert their claims over these islands for basic reasons, such as close proximity, or historical context. Although some countries, such as the RC, PRC, and Vietnam all claim the islands in their entirety, others, including Malaysia and the Philippines, claim smaller portions or just a few islands as their own. All five of these countries have fought endlessly for control of these islands, a main factor of the South China Sea Dispute. 


The second source of conflict is the Paracel Islands. Although there has been little exploration of these islands, due to the conflict, they are believed to sit on top of large oil and gas reserves. The other reasons for competition over these islands are similar to Spratly: their location for trade routes, ideal for military bases, and their rich fishing grounds. Currently, the People’s Republic of China claims de facto control over these islands, and they have since the Battle for Paracel Islands in 1974. Although no legality gives the PRC ownership of the islands, they exercise full control, including building a military installation on one of the islands, with an airfield and artificial harbor. Conflict comes into play when recognizing the fact that ROC on Taiwan also claims these islands. How can a country that is not even recognized by the world of international relations own such significant territory? The ROC government makes historical arguments, claiming that Paracel islands have been territory of the Republic of China Government since 1947, before the communist government took full control of Mainland China. How, though, can they make these claims if they are not technically a form of China? When the United Nations does not even recognize them as a country? These are the questions that rage on, fueling the South China Sea Dispute. 


The South China Sea Dispute has been a prominent topic in the world of International Relations since the creation of the PRC in 1949, when the full territorial legalities were never completely worked through. Since then, tensions in Asia have been high. While some countries, as well as the United Nations, have made moves to resolve the series of territorial disputes, none seem to work and it is likely that, at least in the near future, none will.



Works Cited

“China and Taiwan: A really simple guide.” BBC, 7 January 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-59900139. Accessed 27 January 2025.

“HISTORY - Taiwan.gov.tw - Government Portal of the Republic of China.” Taiwan.gov, https://www.taiwan.gov.tw/content_3.php. Accessed 27 January 2025.

“Milestones in the History of U.S. Foreign Relations.” Milestones in the History of U.S. Foreign Relations - Office of the Historian, https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/chinese-rev. Accessed 27 January 2025.

“Paracel Islands - The World Factbook.” CIA, 15 January 2025, https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/paracel-islands/. Accessed 27 January 2025.

“Spratly Islands - The World Factbook.” CIA, 15 January 2025, https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/spratly-islands/. Accessed 27 January 2025.


Nora Medlock 

11th Grade 

Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences + the Arts 

Instagram- @nc.medlock

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