For China, the South China Sea Represents a Window of Opportunity

For China, the South China Sea Represents a Window of Opportunity

Responding to the geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea has been one of the most critical challenges facing the Chinese government. Xue Li is the Director of the Department of International Strategy at the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Cheng Zhangxi has a PhD from the University of St. Andrews. In their co-written article, Xue and Cheng argue that the next few years offer a significant window of opportunity for the claimants to put forward a solution to the South China Sea issues. China faces a uniquely favorable environment on both the domestic and international fronts. The trend of deep anti-globalization populism has driven developed countries to focus less on issues abroad, providing a relatively relaxed external environment for resolving the South China Sea issue. On the other hand, the domestic political stance of the ASEAN claimants and the resulting Chinese political relationships with these countries offer hopeful signs for resolving the South China Sea disputes.

Do you agree with Xue and Cheng’s analysis of the current South China Sea tensions? And how can China pursue a “multilateral, win-win” approach to the South China Sea issue?

Link to original article from the Diplomat

(Featured Image Credit: AP/The Guardian)

Edited by ABIGAIL CHEN JULY 27, 2017

ABIGAIL CHEN is a Summer 2017 intern at The Carter Center China Program.