ABSTRACT
This chapter surveys the development of the South China Sea conflict between 2009 and 2014, and will touch on the dynamics among ASEAN countries in responding to the disputes. It examines the broader geo-economic context in which the dispute has developed, and surveys the state of economic ties between China and Southeast Asia. The chapter makes the case of the "separation of spheres" between China and Southeast Asia with regard to economic ties and the South China Sea dispute. It looks at how these aspects come together with ASEAN's weak institutional setup, and will touch briefly on the period from 2015 to the present. The chapter focuses on the lessening of the "China threat". In 2000, China was still a rapidly developing economy, and needed good relations with its neighbors in Southeast Asia in order to ensure a peaceful international environment, conducive to economic development.
