U.S. Policy regarding the South China Sea (SCS) - Essay Example

The tensions are influencing – being influenced by- rising fears concerning China military power growth as well as its regional intents. China has engaged in an extensive upgrading of its forces of maritime paramilitary and naval aptitudes to impose jurisdiction and Sovereignty rights through force if the need arises. Simultaneously, China is developing capabilities, which would place US forces within the expanse in a conflict risk, and therefore, possibly refuting US Navy access in the west Pacific (Akande). In view of the growing prominence of China-U.S. affiliation as well as the Asia-Pacific expanse more largely, to the worldwide economy, the U.S. has a huge interest in inhibiting any of the numerous disputes within the South China Sea from intensifying militarily. U.S. policy goals include: I. Attainment of global norms and rules in the South China Sea, II. Attainment of regional stability and alliance security in the South China Sea, III. Attainment of economic interests and IV. Attaining a cooperative affiliation with China V. Promote Territorial Risk-reduction Measures Assessment of Current U.S. Policy Goals The U.S. has crucial interests for achieving a diplomatic resolution of disputes in South China Sea with respect to international law. With China’s exception, all South China Sea’s claimants have tried to validate their entitlements grounded on their coastlines as well as the UNCLOS’s provisions. China, on the other hand, depends on a combination of legal claims and historic rights, while remaining purposely indistinct about the implication of the ‘nine-dashed line’ all over the sea, which is drawn upon Chinese maps. The failure of the U.S. to maintain international norms and law could harm United States’ interests elsewhere within the region as well as beyond. Guaranteeing navigation freedom is another critical goal for the US as well as other regional states. As much as China maintains that, it advocates navigation freedom; its persistence that foreign forces seek advance authorization to cruise in its EEZ hurls doubt upon its stance. The China’s capabilities development to deny US’ naval entry to its waters in a dispute provides proof of likely Chinese intents to block navigation freedom in particular contingencies (Akande). Regional and alliance security: United States friends and allies around Southern China Sea depend on U.S. to sustain free trade, secure and safe sea communication lines and general stability and tranquility within the region. Non-claimants and claimants to marine waters and land features within the South China Sea take U.S. forces presence as essential to permit decision-formulating free of extortion. If states within the South China Sea lack self-assurance in the U.S. to aid as the major regional security underwriter, they could engage in costly and possibly threatening arms accumulations to reimburse or, otherwise, become more cooperative to the requests of an influential China. None would be within the United States’ policy goals. Failure to assure friends of U.S. responsibilities within the expanse could also weaken U.S. security assurances in the wider Asia-Pacific area, particularly with South Korea and Japan. Simultaneously, however, the US must elude being enticed into the regional dispute—and perhaps into a clash—by regional states who seek United States’ backing to legalize their claims (Nato). Economic ...Show more