ABSTRACT

Boundary disputes in the South China Sea have been a long-standing threat to peace and security in East and Southeast Asia. Without agreed definition of boundaries, provisional arrangements to develop resources in the disputed area have become the favored, and most effective, solution. Therefore, joint development between various countries has taken place in the form of ad hoc arrangements with the goal of achieving positive outcomes for all parties involved.

Incorporating insights from ten authors from six countries (Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam), this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the incentives and policies to joint development in the South China Sea disputes. The authors also discuss the bottlenecks and proposed policy options.

The authors ease doubts over joint development in South China Sea disputes and shed light on creative ways to promote cooperation. The book is a key reference for students and scholars in politics and international relations, Asian Studies, and maritime law.

chapter |16 pages

Introduction

Cooperative development among the South China Sea coastal States

chapter 1|14 pages

From joint cooperation to joint development in the South China Sea

Incentives, challenges, and prospects for Brunei Darussalam

chapter 4|19 pages

Prospects for Sino–Malaysian joint development in the South China Sea

Lessons from Malaysia’s experiences

chapter 6|20 pages

Vietnam’s cooperative development in the South China Sea

Existing cases and policy suggestions

chapter 9|19 pages

Why joint development agreements fail

Implications for the South China Sea dispute 1

chapter 10|10 pages

Conclusion

Bringing political calculations back to cooperative development in the South China Sea