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EAI Working Paper
Raising Islands, Rising Tensions: Perceptions from Washington on the South China Sea Dispute
Benjamin A. Engel, Thomas Burkhalter, Seunghwa Madeleine Han, and Jordan Marks
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"What Is the Next Step for the US in the South China Sea?" |
The South China Sea has been one of the focuses of international politics for quite some time, but with the recent ruling by a tribunal convened under the UNCLOS treaty the region is receiving even greater attention. The US has maintained that China's "nine-dash line" is unjustifiable under the UNCLOS treaty and has criticized Chinese efforts to reclaim land and build military installations in the region as a threat to the freedom of navigation on open seas and thus a threat to the livelihoods of many countries whose economies rely heavily on sea lanes in the South China Sea. The ruling of the tribunal further delegitimized China’s claims in the eyes of the American government, yet the Chinese show no intention to comply with the ruling. This paper summarizes the variety of policy options that are open to the US government as recommended by top American think-tanks and scholars, and also describes how the Chinese government may react in the wake of the decision. The authors provide a clear understanding on the myriad of scenarios that may unfold in the region in the coming months.
 
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