Mô tả
The conflicting mandates and lack of coordination among Chinese government agencies, many of which strive to increase their power and budget, have stoked tensions in the South China Sea. Repeated proposals to establish a more centralised mechanism have foundered while the only agency with a coordinating mandate, the foreign ministry, does not have the authority or resources to manage other actors. The Chinese navy’s use of maritime tensions to justify its modernisation, and nationalist sentiment around territorial claims, further compound the problem. But more immediate conflict risks lie in the growing number of law enforcement and paramilitary vessels playing an increasing role in disputed territories without a clear legal framework
This report is based on interviews conducted in Beijing, Guangxi, Hainan, Xiamen, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Washington DC. Crisis Group spoke to a wide range of individuals, including officials, scholars, diplomats, journalists and insiders from the fishing, tourism and oil industries, most of whom asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the subject. This report focuses on key Chinese domestic players and their interests. Although regional dynamics are a major factor in Chinese policy on the South China Sea, this report does not include discussion of these issues as they will be the subject of a separate paper.
