Cantonia Sea / JyùtHõi / 粵海
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Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 南海 or 南中國海
Simplified Chinese 南海 or 南中国海
Hanyu Pinyin Nán Hǎi or Nán Zhōngguó Hǎi
[show]Transcriptions
Filipino name
Tagalog Dagat Timog Tsina
(South China Sea)
Dagat Luzon
(Luzon Sea)
Dagat Kanlurang Pilipinas
(West Philippine Sea)
Indonesian name
Indonesian Laut Cina Selatan /
Laut Tiongkok Selatan
(South China Sea)
Japanese name
Kanji 南支那海 or 南シナ海 (literally "South Shina Sea")
Hiragana みなみシナかい
[show]Transcriptions
Malay name
Malay Laut Cina Selatan
(South China Sea)
Portuguese name
Portuguese Mar da China Meridional
(South China Sea)
Thai name
Thai ทะเลจีนใต้
[tʰáʔlēː tɕīːnáʔ tɑ̂i]
(South China Sea)
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese Biển Đông
(East Sea)
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around 3,500,000 square kilometres (1,350,000 sq mi).
It is located
south of mainland China and the island of Taiwan,
west of the Philippines,
north west of Sabah (Malaysia), Sarawak (Malaysia) and Brunei,
north of Indonesia,
north east of the Malay peninsula (Malaysia) and Singapore, and
east of Vietnam.
The minute South China Sea Islands, collectively an archipelago, number in the hundreds. The sea and its mostly uninhabited islands are subject to competing claims of sovereignty by several countries. These claims are also reflected in the variety of names used for the islands and the sea.
[edit] Names
Sunset on the South China Sea off Mui Ne village on the south-east coast of Vietnam
South China Sea is the dominant term used in English for the sea, and the name in most European languages is equivalent, but it is sometimes called by different names in neighboring countries, often reflecting historical claims to hegemony over the sea.
The English name is a result of early European interest in the sea as a route from Europe and South Asia to the trading opportunities of China. In the sixteenth century Portuguese sailors called it the China Sea (Mar da China); later needs to differentiate it from nearby bodies of water led to calling it the South China Sea.[1] The International Hydrographic Organization refers to the sea as "South China Sea (Nan Hai)".[2]
In Southeast Asia it was once called the Champa Sea aka Sea of Cham, after the maritime kingdom of Champa that flourished there before the sixteenth century. The majority of the sea came under Japanese naval control during World War II following the military acquisition of many surrounding South East Asian territories in 1941. Japan calls the sea Minami Shina Kai "South China Sea". This was written 南支那海 until 2004, when the Japanese Foreign Ministry and other departments switched the spelling 南シナ海, which has become the standard usage in Japan.
In China, it is called the "South Sea", 南海 Nánhǎi, and in Vietnam the "East Sea", Biển Đông.[3][4][5] In the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia it was long called the "South China Sea" (Dagat Timog Tsina in Tagalog, Laut China Selatan in Malay), with the part within Philippine territorial waters often called the "Luzon Sea", Dagat Luzon, by the Philippines. However, following an escalation of the Spratly Islands dispute in 2011, various Philippine government agencies started using the neologism "West Philippine Sea". A Pagasa spokesperson said that the sea to the east of the Philippines will continue to be called the Philippine Sea.[6]
[edit] Geography
States and territories with borders on the sea (clockwise from north) include: the People's Republic of China (including Macau and Hong Kong), the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam.
Major rivers that flow into the South China Sea include the Pearl, Min, Jiulong, Red, Mekong, Rajang, Pahang, Pampanga, and Pasig Rivers.
[edit] Extent
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the South China Sea as follows:[2]
On the South. The Eastern and Southern limits of Singapore and Malacca Straits [A line joining Tanjong Datok, the Southeast point of Johore (1°22′N 104°17′E / 1.367°N 104.283°E) through Horsburgh Reef to Pulo Koko, the Northeastern extreme of Bintan Island (1°13.5′N 104°35′E / 1.225°N 104.583°E). The Northeastern coast of Sumatra] as far West as Tanjong Kedabu (1°06′N 102°58′E / 1.1°N 102.967°E) down the East coast of Sumatra to Lucipara Point (3°14′S 106°05′E / 3.233°S 106.083°E) thence to Tanjong Nanka, the Southwest extremity of Banka Island, through this island to Tanjong Berikat the Eastern point (2°34′S 106°51′E / 2.567°S 106.85°E), on to Tanjong Djemang (2°36′S 107°37′E / 2.6°S 107.617°E) in Billiton, along the North coast of this island to Tanjong Boeroeng Mandi (2°46′S 108°16′E / 2.767°S 108.267°E) and thence a line to Tanjong Sambar (3°00′S 110°19′E / 3°S 110.317°E) the Southwest extreme of Borneo.
On the East. From Tanjong Sambar through the West coast of Borneo to Tanjong Sampanmangio, the North point, thence a line to West points of Balabac and Secam Reefs, on to the West point of Bancalan Island and to Cape Buliluyan, the Southwest point of Palawan, through this island to Cabuli Point, the Northern point thereof, thence to the Northwest point of Busuanga and to Cape Calavite in the island of Mindoro, to the Northwest point of Lubang Island and to Point Fuego (14°08'N) in Luzon Island, through this island to Cape Engano, the Northeast point of Luzon, along a line joining this cape with the East point of Balintang Island (20°N) and to the East point of Y'Ami Island (21°05'N) thence to Garan Bi, the Southern point of Taiwan (Formosa), through this island to Santyo (25°N) its North Eastern Point.
On the North. From Fuki Kaku the North point of Formosa to Kiushan Tao (Turnabout Island) on to the South point of Haitan Tao (25°25'N) and thence Westward on the parallel of 25°24' North to the coast of Fukien.
On the West. The Mainland, the Southern limit of the Gulf of Thailand and the East coast of the Malay Peninsula.
[edit] Geology
The sea lies above a drowned continental shelf; during recent ice ages global sea level was hundreds of metres lower, and Borneo was part of the Asian mainland.
The South China Sea opened after around 45 million years ago when the Dangerous Grounds were rifted away from southern China. Extension culminated in seafloor spreading around 30 million years ago, a process that propagated to the SW resulting in the V-shaped basin we see today. Extension ceased around 17 million years ago. Arguments have continued about the role of tectonic extrusion in forming the basin. Paul Tapponnier and colleagues have argued that as India collides with Asia it pushes Indochina to the SE. The relative shear between Indochina and China caused the South China Sea to open. This view is disputed by geologists who do not consider Indochina to have moved far relative to mainland Asia. Recent marine geophysical studies by Peter Clift has shown that the Red River Fault was active and causing basin formation at least by 37 million years ago in the NW South China Sea, consistent with extrusion playing a part in the formation of the sea. Since opening the South China Sea has been the repository of large sediment volumes delivered by the Mekong River, Red River and Pearl River. Several of these deltas are rich in oil and gas deposits.
[edit] Islands and seamounts
See also: South China Sea Islands
The South China Sea contains over 250 small islands, atolls, cays, shoals, reefs, and sandbars, most of which have no indigenous people, many of which are naturally under water at high tide, and some of which are permanently submerged. The features are grouped into three archipelagos (listed by area size), Macclesfield Bank and Scarborough Shoal:
South China Sea
The Spratly Islands
The Paracel Islands
The Pratas Islands
The Macclesfield Bank
The Scarborough Shoal
The Spratly Islands spread over an 810 by 900 km area covering some 175 identified insular features, the largest being Taiping Island (Itu Aba) at just over 1.3 km long and with its highest elevation at 3.8 metres.
The largest singular feature in the area of the Spratly Islands is a 100 km wide seamount called Reed Tablemount, also known as Reed Bank, in the northeast of the group, separated from Palawan Island of the Philippines by the Palawan Trench. Now completely submerged, with a depth of 20 m, it was an island until it sank about 7,000 years ago due to the increasing sea level after the last ice age. With an area of 8,866 km², it is one of the largest submerged atoll structures of the world.
[edit] Resources
It is an extremely significant body of water in a geopolitical sense. It is the second most used sea lane in the world, while in terms of world annual merchant fleet tonnage, over 50% passes through the Strait of Malacca, the Sunda Strait, and the Lombok Strait. Over 1.6 million m³ (10 million barrels) of crude oil a day are shipped through the Strait of Malacca, where there are regular reports of piracy, but much less frequently than before the mid-20th century.
The region has proven oil reserves of around 1.2 km³ (7.7 billion barrels), with an estimate of 4.5 km³ (28 billion barrels) in total. Natural gas reserves are estimated to total around 7,500 km³ (266 trillion cubic feet).
According to studies made by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines, this body of water holds one third of the entire world's marine biodiversity, thereby making it a very important area for the ecosystem.
[edit] Territorial claims
Main article: Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
Map of various countries occupying the Spratly Islands
Maritime claims in the South China Sea
Several countries have made competing territorial claims over the South China Sea. Such disputes have been regarded as Asia's most potentially dangerous point of conflict. Both People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) claim almost the entire body as their own, demarking their claims within what is known as the nine-dotted line, which claims overlap with virtually every other country in the region. Competing claims include:
Indonesia, China, and Taiwan over waters NE of the Natuna Islands
The Philippines, China, and Taiwan over the Malampaya and Camago gas fields.
The Philippines, China, and Taiwan over Scarborough Shoal.
Vietnam, China, and Taiwan over waters west of the Spratly Islands. Some or all of the islands themselves are also disputed between Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The Paracel Islands are disputed between the PRC/ROC and Vietnam.
Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam over areas in the Gulf of Thailand.
Singapore and Malaysia along the Strait of Johore and the Strait of Singapore.
China and Vietnam have both been vigorous in prosecuting their claims. The People's Republic of China and South Vietnam each controlled part of the Paracel Islands before 1974. A brief conflict in 1974 resulted in 18 soldiers being killed, and China has controlled the whole of Paracel since then.[citation needed] The Spratly Islands have been the site of a naval clash, in which over seventy Vietnamese sailors were killed just south of Chigua Reef in March 1988. Disputing claimants regularly report clashes between naval vessels.[citation needed]
ASEAN in general, and Malaysia in particular, has been keen to ensure that the territorial disputes within the South China Sea do not escalate into armed conflict. As such, Joint Development Authorities have been set up in areas of overlapping claims to jointly develop the area and dividing the profits equally without settling the issue of sovereignty over the area. This is true, particularly in the Gulf of Thailand. Generally, China has preferred to resolve competing claims bi-laterally,[7]bi-laterally], while ASEAN countries prefer multi-lateral talks,[8] believing that they are disadvantaged in bi-lateral negotiations with the much larger China and that because many countries claim the same territory only multilateral talks could effectively resolve the competing claims.[9]
The overlapping claims over Pedra Branca or Pulau Batu Putih including neighboring Middle Rocks by both Singapore and Malaysia were settled in 2008 by the International Court of Justice, awarding Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore and Middle Rocks to Malaysia.
In July 2010, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for the Peoples Republic of China to resolve the territorial dispute. China responded by demanding the US keep out of the issue. This came at a time when both countries have been engaging in naval exercises in a show of force to the opposing side, which increased tensions in the region.[10] The US Military released a statement on August 18 where it opposed the use of force to resolve the dispute, and accused China of assertive behaviour.[11]
[edit] Attempting to cool rising disquiet
This section may require copy-editing.
As of July 11th 2011 some major consessions in Philippines and Vietnam have opted for more concilliatory methods of adressing the rising disquiet across a wide spectrum of the press.
In an encouraging report of the Philippines and China meeting of Friday July 8th 2011 in Bejieng revealed. Chinese Foreign Ministry Yang Jiechi and his Philippine counterpart Albert del Rosario agreed, "to cool" the debate to preserve the harmony of matters between the two Nations at this time. According to a statement released from Manila, they also agreed to abide a 2002 code of conduct in respect of their South China Seas claims. President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino III will be visiting China soon and this accord paves the way for a harmony that was in a shadow up to the moment. [12]
In the most promising news report, of the Vietnamese recent street demonstrations, after a spate of reported, Chinese attacks on SRV vessels. Ian Timberlake quoting AP as stating on Saturday, that Vietnam plain clothed Government Security Force police forced the citizens rally to end protest, against China's pressure in the South China Sea disputes) the indication being that Vietnam is also seeking to calm peoples sentiments, pending plans to re-enter more peaceful approaches to the subject. As these countries are the main parties to the recent dispute such corrections are seen as progress. AP also reported that one Vietnamese citizen working as a cameraman recording the rally for Japan's NHK television, had been held, but released later that day. Philippines and Vietnam the two main claimants in that dispute area now opting for peace and harmony in practice, many feel considerable reliev and optimism in the region.[13]
Not long ago China explained that USA arms sales to Taiwan damaged bilateral military ties, but President Hu's visit to US restored cooperation that is again on track. At the time observing that: Chinese thinking is geared to the "nations interest" whilst continuing stability in the region as preferred, to less peaceful coexistence. American sale to Taiwan China can be rationalized as transacted, in any case that Taiwan being a part of China's "one State two systems policy" will reunites someday soon, then those weapons will be an asset to the PLA arsenal. After all Chinese diplomacy is exercised like a chess game, so is plan based moves, aimed to fit attacks moment to moment. After all, the game of chess was invented as an alternative to real war between Nations.[14]
Current problems between China, Vietnam and recently the Philippines, over the Spratly Islands sea complaints, merely aggravate some anti-Chinese feelings in the region. But China insisted it has acted through restrained diplomatic consensus among leaders of the countries concerned. China recently warned Vietnam, to desist their actions of proceeding to usurp Chinese "National Interests", a term used by USA in Hillary Clinton's July last year pronouncements, and since then declared USA "National Interests", which did bring disputes to World attention. China considers Vietnam exploitation of resources in dispute areas, are contra to a 2002 accord, requiring prior agreement between the parties. This is what is disturbing the harmony of China Vietnam relations to this time.[15]
Doctor Xiaoxiong Yi, director of Marietta College's China program, blames aggression on the known oil reserves as making "the South China Seas the most dangerous waters in Asia". He may be right under the circumstances of China's actions against fishermen and seismic fleets in the areas is somewhat misunderstood. As late as the recent Vietnamese citizen rallies in Hanoi near the Chinese Embassy and Ba Dinh Square have not improved matters. Dr Yi quotes cases of Chinese navy vessel merely threatening to ram a Philippine fishing vessel, cutting cables of Fetro Vietnam seismic boats, and Philippines claim that a Chinese Naval ship even fired live to frighten another fishing boat in the Philippines waters off the Spratlys, effectively merely warned of the breach. Doctor Yi also claims that the estimated 213bn barrels of oil under the South China Sea is the largest untapped deposit outside Saudi Arabia. search.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/sp?aff=1100&skin=&keywords=Spratly Islands[16][17][18]
Economic Observer acknowledges the risks and suggests Chinese people understand their sovereign rights over some 9.6 Million Square Kilometres of land areas, but not their 3.6 Mn.Sq.Km maritime territory, claims that are disputed by other countries in several cases reported. China has gone as far as admitting differences do exist between USA and Chinese understanding of such issues, yet the "Observer" says it is "fantasy to believe that the US will confront China for some relevant countries in the region" and that "China's military development has been noticed by USA to the extent some worry challenges USA Interests.
Zhang Guoqing of China speaks of a "Provocative Viewpoint} op-ed., from China on the "US endgame in territorial disputes between the Chinese 'elephant' and smaller 'ant' nations like Vietnam". Suggesting that "Washington's self-interest can be dislodged only by 'belief in its own and interest groups destiny" whatever that suggests, was delivered under a headline "Beijing Does Not Fear Vietnam - Or Washington - In South China Sea Dispute" where that article calls it a chess game play.
What scenarios but a Chess Game dare, World media and Governments, to draw at this time, if not that continuing such moves may risk war between the chess players. That op-ed goes on to describe in some detail the misconceptions and rules of a chess game playing out since Hilary Clinton comments over the yast 12 months, in subsequent moves and plays. China is ony warning all who care to hear "the ambiguity of the U.S. could send a misleading message to other countries" asking if it is American "unrequited love" or "belief in it's own destiny & it's Jewish Interest groups", one can but wonder the next 'chess move' of these China chess games.
Two weeks ago on June 27, the US Senate resolution condemned "the use of force by naval and maritime security vessels from China in the South China Sea". China, on the other hand, has stated that it will not use force to "resolve disputes" in the South China Sea. Despite that stated promise, China is still "Warning Vietnam" it "will use military force" to "defend China National Interests", meaning intrusion in areas of declared "National Interest", which USA also claims is of "American National Interest" in stating their side of play and moves in diplomatic chess.[19]
[edit] South China Sea in astronomy
South China Sea is associated with the star Xi Serpentis in asterism Left Wall, Heavenly Market enclosure (see Chinese constellation).[20]
[edit] See also
East China Sea
South China Sea shipwrecks
Territorial disputes in South China Sea
[edit] References
^ Tønnesson, Stein (2005). Locating the South China Sea. In Kratoska, Paul et al., eds. Locating Southeast Asia: geographies of knowledge and politics of space. Singapore: Singapore University Press. p. 203-233.
^ a b "Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition". International Hydrographic Organization. 1953.
http://www.iho-ohi.net/iho_pubs/standar ... 3_1953.pdf. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
^ "VN and China pledge to maintain peace and stability in East Sea". Socialist Republic of Vietnam Government Web Portal.
http://chinhphu.vn/portal/page?_pageid= ... _details=1.
^ "FM Spokesperson on FIR control over East Sea". Embassy of Vietnam in USA. March 11, 2001.
http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/news/ ... 0311025315.
^ "The Map of Vietnam". Socialist Republic of Vietnam Government Web Portal.
http://gis.chinhphu.vn/ShowmapGov.asp?pLayer=vn_hcc.
^ Quismundo, Tarra (2011-06-13). "South China Sea renamed in the Philippines". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BN ... 83772.html. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
^
http://www.china.org.cn/world/2010-07/2 ... 571259.htm^
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100723/pl ... 0723133312^
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/world ... ral&st=cse^ [1][dead link]
^ [2][dead link]
^
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/a ... rent_id=25^
http://news.yahoo.com/police-break-chin ... 53949.html^
http://www.eeo.com.cn/ens/2011/0706/205469.shtml Under the heading "China and US Will Remain Close" Published by the Economic July 6th 2011, at page 46 Issue 524, June 20, 2011(ref/)(/ref)url=http://www.china-defense-mashup.com/china-and-us-will-remain-close.html
^
http://www.china-defense-mashup.com/chi ... atlys.html under the heading "China warns its neighbers: Stop oil search in Spratlys" (China Military News cited from AP <www.china-defense-mashup> dated June 9th 2011
^ Under the heading "South China Sea: the most dangerous waters in Asia" by Dr. Xiaosiong Yi
^
http://www.worldcrunch.com/beijing-does ... spute/3340 dated July 6th 2011
^ 经济观察报E.O./Worldcrunch, UNDER THE TITLE "Beijing Does Not Fear Vietnam – Or Washington – In South China Sea Dispute." bY Zhang Guoqing DATED jULY 7TH 2011.
^
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Philippine_ ... al_dispute hwaded "Philippine Foreign Secretary Del Rosario to visit China amid South China Sea territorial dispute In July Wikinews archives for China dated July 3rd 2011
^ (Chinese) AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 6 月 23 日
[edit] Further reading
C.Michael Hogan (2011) South China Sea Topic ed. P.Saundry. Ed.-in-chief C.J.Cleveland. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC
UNEP (2007). Review of the Legal Aspects of Environmental Management in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand. UNEP/GEF/SCS Technical Publication No. 9.
Keyan Zou (2005). Law of the sea in East Asia: issues and prospects. London/New York: Rutledge Curzon. ISBN 0-415-35074-3
[edit] External links
Rising Tensions in the South China Sea, June 2011 Q&A with Ian J. Storey
News collections on The South China Sea on China Digital Times
The South China Sea on Google Earth - featured on Google Earth's Official Blog
South China Sea Virtual Library - online resource for students, scholars and policy-makers interested in South China Sea regional development, environment, and security issues.
Energy Information Administration - The South China Sea
Tropical Research and Conservation Centre - The South China Sea
Weekly Piracy Report[dead link]
Reversing Environmental Degradation Trends in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand
UNEP/GEF South China Sea Knowledge Documents
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_China_Sea
