3.2 - South China Sea + Chinese Threat

Question 1

Why are the Spratly Islands important?

Answer 1

• Are along shipping lanes into the Malacca strait
  
  • 30% of global trade passes through here, mostly to and from China
• cuts deep into the claimed territory of the Phillipines
  
  • Philippines is a US ally

Question 2

How have China and Philippines exercised their claims to the Spratly Islands?

Answer 2

• China is building airstrips on the Islands
  
  • building and placing ‘carrier killer’ submarines in service in the region
  • actively treating international airspace and water around the island’s as if it is theirs
• Philippines has paid people to live on the islands and maintain a presence
  
  • got US to station 2 cruise missiles in region in 2016
  • US aircraft carriers are also stationed in the region as a deterrent

Question 3

How have IGOs contributed in the dispute?

Answer 3

• international tribunal at Hague ruled in favour of Philippines in 2016
  
  • said China has no basis of historic claim over the South China Sea
• China disagrees and pushes 9 dash line policy anyways

Question 4

How does the US have an advantage over China right now?

Answer 4

• Trade relations are important to China for economic growth
  
  • US has significant power at WTO, IMF and world trade in general
• US Navy is much stronger and has allies in Asia to isolate China
• China has internal problems such as poverty, HR and pollution
• Chinese companies are not yet TNCs in same sense as American, thus do not have same positive cultural influence

Question 5

How much global cultural influence does China have?

Answer 5

• not on same scale as India
  
  • however is still relatively high eg. Chinatown
• Beijing Olympics allowed China to demonstrate culture to mainstream media
• Chinese TNCs do not have same reach as western counterparts
  
  • therefore are unable to project as strong or as positive an image as western TNCs yet

Question 6

How much political influence does China have?

Answer 6

• not as much as US on surface
  
  • closed off nature of Chinese politics combined with single party system means people view it with suspicion
• China also does not actively get involved in disputes unless it has a stake in them
  
  • however, this may be seen as a good thing as it suggests China would not meddle in other countries affairs when compared to US
  • also allows China to focus on development
• investment in developing countries also gives it considerable sway

Question 7

How strong is the Chinese economy?

Answer 7

• 2nd in size to US
• however is a global leader in technology and renewable energy
• rising incomes and wealth is becoming more common
• does not have global brands though

Question 8

How strong is China militarily?

Answer 8

• Far behind US on size of army and air force
  
  • does not have same global reach as US armed forces
• is a nuclear power, however
• development of hypersonic missiles temporarily put China ahead of US
• is actively developing stealth aircraft and submarines

Question 9

Why might superpowers create problems?

Answer 9

• superpowers need to legitimise power on global stage and encourage population
  
  • thus may get into conflict more readily
• consume large amounts of resources
  
  • extraction can harm environment eg. Fracking, deep water
  • exploit other countries for them
• may contribute more to climate change in long term

Question 10

Why might superpowers not cause problems?

Answer 10

• foreign governments are demanding things in return for exploitation of resources
• green politics is becoming more influential and may push superpowers to be more focused on green initiatives
• potential superpowers need to have strong soft power, hard power is not enough

Question 11

When does conflict occur?

Answer 11

• military ‘sabre rattling’
  
  • exaggerated military threatens
• changed balance of power (eg. acquisition of nuclear weapons)
• new resources found (eg. oil in Falklands)