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Level of Education

Master's Graduate

Abstract

The South China Sea is a critical but contested body of water that has been the source of much international debate and focus. The sea is a strategic maritime route and one of the most important waterways for regional and global trade. The South China Sea features rich natural resources such as fisheries and hydrocarbons, especially unknown amounts of oil and natural gas remaining untapped throughout the sea. Geological surveys estimate extremely lucrative quantities of oil and natural gas in the South China Sea, which drives the conflict, as nations with competing territorial claims seek to control not just the portions of the sea but also access to these oil and natural gas deposits. China uses its nine-dash line to lay claim to much of the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands, which have potentially high amounts of oil and natural gas. If China were to control the Spratly Islands, it would have regional and global ramifications economically and militarily. China could better regulate trade in the sea and ensure its energy resources to bolster its domestic manufacturing and military development. Chinese control of the Spratly Islands would impact regional and global trade, disrupt trade routes, hinder other nations’ energy exploration and production in the South China Sea, sustain its domestic manufacturing sector, and fuel production of its military capabilities.

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