Spratly Islands Done by: Ang Ray Yan (4S102) Dominic Cheong (4S108) Johnny Yeung (4S134)
Mar 23, 2016
Fact file
• Made up of 750 reefs• South China Sea• Between Philippines,
China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei
• <5km2
• Rich in oil, gas, seafood and coral reef resources
Early conflict
1933: France asserted its ownership
established in 1887 on behalf of then-colony
Vietnam
Occupied Itu Aba, built 2 weather
stations, administered its affairs
Republic of China protested: France
found Chinese fishermen upon
discovery of the island
Japan used islands in 1939 as submarine
base for SE Asia invasion during WWII
Japan lost, ROC claimed all islands.
Japan renounced claims in San Francisco
Treaty in 1951
China
To prove that China has sovereignty over Spratly
Islands since history
Archaeological evidences
Chinese fishermen and
merchants occupying island
Naval expeditions in Han Dynasty
China
Transition from
bicycles to mass
transit
Inadequate oil refinery
and extraction capabilities
Increasing oil consumption and demand (7.5%/yr, 7 x higher than
US)
Harness hydrocarbon resources on
Spratly Island to
generate oil
Primary motive
China
Secondary motive• Increase its territory by drawing territorial
lines to Spratly Islands• Observed in China producing such a map in
1958.
Philippines
• Owns 60 islands and 7 wells• Nearest proximity to Spratly Islands• Reason for ownership:– At 1956, Tomas Cloma and crew ‘discovered’ Spratly
Islands– Unoccupied, abandoned– Fought for ownership based on res nullis principle:
• Res nullis: Any island uninhabited/abandoned belongs to the discoverer
• Renamed islands as Freedomland
Philippines
• Motive for ownership:– Integral step in improving security in Philippines– Increase its oil production more revenue
Philippines
• Motive for ownership:– Integral step in improving security in Philippines– Increase its oil production more revenue
Brunei
• Claims Louisa ReefMotive:
Fisheries
Strategic location
Sustained economic growth for
Brunei
Brunei
• Focus not on oil and gas, already main producer
• Southern part of Spratly Islands: Exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Brunei
• Established by UNCLOS (law of the seas) by UN• In 1984, Brunei declared an EEZ that includes
Louisa Reef.
Vietnam
Motives
Economic motives
Recent economic
liberalization in 1986 future
economic growth at stake
Presently oil imported
country. Needs to produce own
oil to propel economy
Geographical motives
Dependent on sea route on
South China Sea
Secure sea route
Vietnam
• As early as the 17th century, Vietnamese maps record Spratly Islands as her territory
• Vietnam had conducted many geographical and resource surveys of the islands
• China did not declare sovereignty over the Spratlys until after World War II
Taiwan
• Taiwan currently occupies Itu Aba island (Taiping Island)
• Claims sovereignty over all Spratly Islands
• Taiwan’s claims are similar to that of PRC’s• After WWII, Japan renounced control of
Spratlys to China, but after separation in 1949, Taiwan retained control of military there
Taiwan
• Built an airstrip on Itu Aba Island• In 2008, Taiwan's president Chen Shui-
bian personally visited the island
Fishing rights Shipping lanes
Potential of natural gas beneath the seabed
Expanding international borders
Motives
Malaysia
• Started its claim in 1979
• Malaysia occupied three islands that it considers to be within its continental shelf.
• The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea states: “A coastal nation has control of all resources on or under its continental shelf, living or not”
Malaysia
Motives
Exploitation of natural
resourcesEconomic reasons
Owns a hotel in one of the islands
Swallow Reef (Layang Layang) was turned
into an island through land reclamation and
hosts a dive resort
Uninvolved countries
Eg. Singapore
Concerned about peace and security
around South China Sea region
Held internal forums to discuss
this matter
Demanded more participation in
ASEAN discussions
Key events
• Sino-Vietnam conflict• 1992 Declaration of the South China Sea• China’s defiance• 2002 Declaration of conduct of parties of the
South China Sea
Sino-Vietnam conflict
Background
1950s
19741988
China VietnamHistorical claims over island, thus islands
should be theirsMeet growing oil demand
Produce own oil, cease oil importation
Increase territory Secure sea route
Sino-Vietnam conflict
1958 •China produced a map demarcating Paracel and Spratly Islands as their territory
1968•Oil was discovered on Spratly Islands•4th biggest oil field•More countries interested to harness such resource. Vietnam stationed
troops
1973 •South Vietnam boldly acquired 5 islands and garrisoned troops there
1974•China ignored such claims•Chinese forces attacked Vietnamese forces•Excuse: Chinese fishermen there were harassed.
Sino-Vietnam conflict
1974 •Vietnam retreated to Spratly Islands•China shifted focus to Spratly Islands
1980s•Vietnamese lost backing even from USSR
1988 •China erected structures to accommodate soldiers on Spratly Island
Mar 1988 •War between China and Vietnam over Johnson Reef. China gained 6 more islands to total of 9.
•Diplomatic relations were broken
ASEAN declaration of the South China Sea
An initial step in promoting peace while claiming
sovereignty
Self restraint
Maintaining present status quo
Prevent unnecessary actions to complicate matters
1992 declaration
China also signed this declaration
China’s defiance
• Despite signing the declaration…
China passed “Territorial
Sea and Contiguous
Zones" Law, laying hands
on all of Spratly IslandsEnhanced fortifications on the
island in 2000
Mischief Reef disputeChina built initial structures in 1994 during monsoon season, Philippines not patrolling
Philippines protested, China claimed it was shelter for fishermen
China reinforced on its structures, resembled military structures.
Philippines did not dare to bomb its structures for fear of war same fate as Vietnam, 70+ deaths
Decided to destroy initial structures to prevent its evolution into military structures
Declaration of the conduct of parties in the South China Sea
• Signed in 2002• More specific steps to maintain peace while competing for
Spratly Islands
Refrain from claiming ownership of uninhabited
islands
Confidence building measures, such as voluntary
exchange of views
Joint exploration on Spratly Island
Cooperative activities, such as:
1. Marine protection2. Combat transnational
crime
Declaration of the conduct of parties in the South China Sea
• Almost resolved the Spratly Islands problem peacefully
• Not legal binding, fell short of a final step
Peaceful resolution
• During Asian Association of Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) conference in the Philippines,
• Claimant countries of Spratly Islands signed another declaration to promote joint development of resources on Spratly Islands
Peaceful resolution
• 2005: National oil companies of China, Vietnam and Philippines signed joint accord– Promote joint seismic experiments on Spratly
Islands for economic purposes
Conclusion
Matter seems solved, but no legal binding document• China still claims all of Spratly
islands as its territory
Progression of peace may revert back to
square one
Continue to collaborate extensively in joint
exploration of Spratly Islands
References
• http://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/05/world/rival-claims-to-island-chain-bring-edginess-to-asia-s-rim.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_islands • http://thepinoy.net/?p=1184 • http://www.monitor.upeace.org/innerpg.cfm?id_ar
ticle=623• http://web.mit.edu/cascon/cases/case_spi.html• http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/s
pratly-diplomacy.htm• http://www1.american.edu/TED/SPRATLY.htm• http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/spratly.htm