Near collision in the South China Sea

The USS Decatur was conducting a Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) near the Spratly islands when the Chinese warship came “within yards” of the American ship. The South China Sea is at the heart of a land and water dispute between China, the United States…

The USS Decatur was conducting a Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) near the Spratly islands when the Chinese warship came “within yards” of the American ship.

Background

The South China Sea is at the heart of a land and water dispute between China, the United States, and many Southeast Asian nations. China’s claim to the region is historic going back to the Xia and Han dynasties. The US has maintained that region as part of international waters. Other countries that are involved in the South China Sea dispute include Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Vietnam has become the most vocal critic of China’s claims to the sea.

One of the reasons why the South China Sea is so vital to these countries is due to the strategic advantage it provides. If China had complete control of the region, then it would be able to control a major trade route. It would be able to disrupt trade shipments that pass through this region to East and Southeast Asia. Currently, US$5.3 trillion worth of trade passes through the South China Sea.

In the past, China has backed its expansive claims with island-building and naval patrols. The United States says it does not take sides in territorial disputes but has sent military ships and planes near disputed islands, calling them “freedom of navigation” operations to ensure access to key shipping and air routes.

Read more about our extensive analysis of the ongoing US-China conflict in the South China sea here.

Analysis

China accused the United States of flouting its sovereignty Tuesday after an American warship sailed near islands claimed by Beijing in the disputed South China Sea, further rattling relations between the countries after weeks of escalating military tension.

A Chinese destroyer came within yards of the U.S. Navy ship Sunday, compelling it to switch direction in what American officials called an “unsafe and unprofessional” clash.

China’s Defence Ministry countered that the USS Decatur should never have travelled through those waters in its “freedom of navigation” mission, provoking Beijing to order a Luyang-class warship to force it away from the Spratly Islands. “The Chinese vessel took quick action and made checks against the U.S. vessel in accordance with the law, and warned it to leave the waters,” spokesman Wu Qian said in a statement.

The presence of American ships near the Chinese-claimed archipelago off the coast of the Philippines, Malaysia and southern Vietnam is “seriously threatening China’s sovereignty and security” and “seriously undermining the relations between the two countries and the two militaries,” Wu added.

A statement on Monday from the U.S. Pacific Fleet blasted the Chinese response as ‘aggressive’. “The PRC destroyer approached within 45 yards of Decatur’s bow, after which Decatur maneuvered to prevent a collision,” US Navy spokesman Charlie Brown said. The Decatur had been conducting what the U.S. military calls freedom of navigation operations, or missions to promote international lawfulness in oceanic territory claimed by multiple countries. The Decatur ventured by reefs and rocks that Beijing has tried to turn into artificial islands to expand its grip on the South China Sea. U.S. officials have maintained that such land doesn’t count as a real territory.

Washington has said the aim is to reject what it considers excessive maritime claims by any country. The military strain between the world’s two largest economies has deepened even as they are locked in an increasingly heated trade war.

Assessment

Our assessment is that the ongoing South China Sea dispute is unlikely to be resolved in the near-term. Nevertheless, we believe that other countries have a right to freely navigate the open waterways of the world without any intrusion from any country. Additionally, we feel that the ongoing trade war has increased the tensions between the two countries, which has resulted in this predicament.