The Dragon Goes South: Chinese Geopolitics and Geostrategy in the South China Sea
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26792/rbed.v9n2.2022.75193Keywords:
China, Geopolítica, Mar do Sul da China, Interesses NacionaisAbstract
The South China Sea (SCS) assumed a prominent role in world geopolitics in the 21st century as a result of recurrent tensions in the area since 2009. Since then China has started to project itself more assertively in the region, through patrols, military training and construction of artificial islands. Given this scenario, this article analyzes Chinese interests in the SCS and debates over the geopolitical importance of the region and the country’s core inter-ests. The hypothesis of the article is that when it comes to areas limited to its strategic security perimeter, such as the SCS, China leaves aside the efforts of political and military accommodation with other nations and, realistically, behaves in ways to guarantee its national interests. In other words, Chinese action in Southeast Asia in matters involving the SCS will be guided by a clear discernment of its priorities, with the Chinese State’s political, economic and military security objectives in the first place.
Downloads
References
AMTI. Chinese Power Projection Capabilities in the South China Sea. 2017. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
BP. Statistical Review of World Energy, all data 1965-2018. 2019. BP Database e Review.
China Power Project. How much trade transits the South China Sea. 2017. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Cole, Bernard D. Reflections on China’s Maritime Strategy: Island Chains and the Classics. National War College. 2015. EMC Chair Conference Paper.
CPAPSC. China’s Policies on Asia-Pacific Security Cooperation. 2017. State Council.
CPDR. China’s Peaceful Development Road. 2011. China’s White Paper, State Council.
Ebel, Robert E. 2009. Energy and Geopolitics in China: Mixing Oil and Politics. Washington DC: Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS).
EIA. South China Sea. 2013. Energy Information Association.
_______. Almost 40% of Global Liquified Natural Gas Trade Moves Through the South China Sea. 2017. Energy Information Association.
_______. More Than 30% of Global Maritime Crude Oil Trade Moves Through the South China Sea. 2018. Energy Information Association.
Feng, Liu. 2015 South China Sea: ancestral sea and the dream for peace. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press.
Fiori, José L. Sobre o Poder Global. 2005. Novos Estudos, vol. 73: 60-72. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-33002005000300005.
Green, Michael J. et al. Countering Coercion in Maritime Asia. The Theory and Practice of Gray Zone Deterrence. 2017. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Heginbotham, Eric. 2008. The China-US Military Scorecard: forces, geography, and the evolving balance of power, 1996-2017. California, Santa Monica: Rand Corporation.
Howell, Sabina. et al. 2009. Jia You! (Add Oil!): chinese energy security strategy. Energy Security Challenges for the 21st Century: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara: 191-219.
IISS. The Military Balance: the annual assessment of global military capabilities and defense economics. I2017. International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS).
Kaplan, Robert D. 2013. A Vingança da Geografia: a construção do mundo geopolítico a partir da perspectiva geográfica. Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier.
Kuhn, Robert L. Xi Jinping’s Chinese Dream. The New York Times, 5 de junho de 2013.
Layne, Cristopher. 2012. The Global Power Shift from West to East. The National Interest, n. 119: 21-31.
Li, Zoe. China Finds Sign of Oil Near Disputed Paracel Islands. CNN, 16 Julho de 2014.
Mearsheimer, John J. Bound to Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Liberal International Order. 2019. International Security, vol. 43, issue 4: 7-50. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00342
Mearsheimer, John J. 2001. The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. New York: NORTON & COMPANY.
Nathan, Andrew and Ross, Robert J. 1997. The Great Wall and the Empty Fortress: China's Search for Security. NY: W. W. Norton.
Nathan, Andrew J. and Scobell, Andrew. 2012. China’s Search for Security. New York: Columbia University Press.
Nathan, Andrew J. 2015. China’s Challenge. Journal of Democracy 26, no. 1: 156–70. doi:10.1353/jod.2015.0012.
Panda, Ankit. US Calls on China to Remove Missiles From South China Sea Artificial Islands. The Diplomat, 10 de novembro de 2018.
SCMP. Beijing moves to strengthen grip over disputed South China Sea. South China Morning Post, 18 de abril de 2020, 2020b.
SCMP. Chinese ship, Vietnamese fishing boat collide in the South China Sea. South China Morning Post, 2 de abril de 2020, 2020a.
SIPRI. Defense Database Expenditure. 2018. Milex Database.
Sumaila, Rashid U. and Cheung, William W. L. 2015. Boom or Bust: The Future of Fish in the South China Sea. Vancouver: University of British Columbia.
Telegraph. China will never compromise on security, says Xi Jinping, Telegraph, 29 de janeiro de 2013, 2013.
UNCTAD. Review of Maritime Transport 2018. 2018. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
USGS. Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of Southeast Asia. 2010. World Petroleum Resources Assessment Project. Fact Sheet 2010–3015, June 2010.
Zakaria, Fareed. 2008. O mundo pós-americano. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Autores que publicam nesta revista concordam com os seguintes termos:1) Autores mantêm os direitos autorais e concedem à revista o direito de primeira publicação, com o trabalho simultaneamente licenciado sob a Licença Creative Commons Attribution que permite o compartilhamento do trabalho com reconhecimento da autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
2) Autores têm autorização para assumir contratos adicionais separadamente, para distribuição não-exclusiva da versão do trabalho publicada nesta revista (ex.: publicar em repositório institucional ou como capítulo de livro), com reconhecimento de autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
3) Autores têm permissão e são estimulados a publicar e distribuir seu trabalho online (ex.: em repositórios institucionais ou na sua página pessoal) a qualquer ponto antes ou durante o processo editorial, já que isso pode gerar alterações produtivas, bem como aumentar o impacto e a citação do trabalho publicado (Veja O Efeito do Acesso Livre).
