ABSTRACT
The South China Sea dispute has gained steam over the years, bringing ASEAN’s role in addressing and mediating the conundrum to the centre of international debate and scrutiny. It has revealed ASEAN’s weaknesses, making way for China to buy time and, in turn, consolidate its legitimacy and maritime ambitions in the South China Sea. The framework for the China-ASEAN Code of Conduct and the Single Draft Negotiating Text, which provide the basis for further negotiations on certain provisions of the Code have been signed between ASEAN and China. However, the timeframe for finalising the Code of Conduct remains shrouded in great uncertainty. Under the present circumstances, there is unlikely to be any basic change in China’s overall strategic policy stance on territorial issues, particularly in the context of President Xi’s recounting of South China Sea reef and island construction among his prime accomplishments. It may be argued that, while, on the one hand, Beijing will continue to voice support for a peaceful, negotiated resolution of the territorial disputes as well as the conclusion of a Code, it will sustain efforts to beef up its military and diplomatic activities in the littorals, on the other. From this perspective, this chapter provides a concluding analysis, and a summary of the book, with reference to the implications for India’s Act East policy.
