ABSTRACT
The description by the British Admiralty of Dangerous Ground, a term often applied to the area in which the Spratly island-atoll is situated, highlights the uncertainty surrounding the physical geography of the area. Such uncertainty as to what may lie in waiting also characterizes the dispute between China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei over this collection of ragged features and ocean. The rivalling states seem to oscillate between strategies of occupation and dialogue. This pattern of behaviour reinforces the current unpredictability and insecurity of the regional environment in the South China Sea. However, the intractability of the dispute also compels the states to formulate alternative instruments that will keep the dispute from leading to security threats. This combination of insecurity and innovation in the Spratly dispute reflects the central issues of security and order faced by the states in the region at the beginning of the new millennium. This book attempts to investigate this topic.
