ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on a situation in the South China Sea involving six countries laying claim to some or all of the Spratly Islands, a cluster of tiny reefs about 280 miles southeast of Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, and 775 miles northeast of Singapore. The implications of Chinese control over the entire South China Sea are worth considering in the light of expansion into the Spratlys. When news of China’s occupation of Mischief Reef circulated, Manila and other members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations protested as a group. Romulo’s difficulty in determining the best negotiating position for the Philippines is directly related to opposing viewpoints in Beijing and how these differences relate to Chinese dealings with Southeast Asia. The dual enticement of controlling the crucial sea-lanes in the region and the prospect of reaping the rewards of oil discoveries in the South China Sea may be too compelling for China to resist.
