RSIS Commentary No. 157/2012
dated 21 August 2012 - http://www.rsis.edu.sg/ publications/commentaries.html
Increasing competition in the South China Sea –
Need for a new game plan
Need for a new game plan
By
Sam Bateman
Synopsis
Increasing
competition in the South China Sea between China and the United States and
others makes management regimes more difficult. A more cooperative arrangement
is required to stop the situation worsening.
Commentary
INCREASING
COMPETITION is evident in the South China Sea between China on the one hand,
and the United States, the Philippines and Vietnam on the other. This
competition makes the development of effective regimes for managing the sea and
its resources more difficult.
Earlier
this month, the US State Department issued a comprehensive statement on the US
position in the South China Sea. Unsurprisingly, China responded shortly
afterwards with a robust statement strongly condemning the US position.
This
exchange is yet another demonstration of the game of “tit for tat” in the South
China Sea - one player replies to another player’s action and the other player
responds in turn. Unless the players demonstrate some common interest and
mutual understanding, the game can spiral out of control, leading to a
“lose-lose” outcome.
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