The S outh C hina S ea Disputes: Is High Politics Overtaking?

The aim of this article is to examine the implications of high politics in the S outh C hina S ea disputes, which basically involve the U nited S tates, and other claimant countries, such as V ietnam and the P hilippines on one side, and C hina on the other. The two main actors, namely C hina and the U nited S tates, appear to be re‐assertive. All the claimant countries are asking for their stakes, which involve their sovereignty, and sovereign and maritime rights. The fall‐out is the polarization of the stakeholders and greater military build‐up. Overt military confrontation is a remote possibility at the moment, mainly because of overriding considerations, such as interdependence in economy and a trend towards regionalism. Nevertheless, the array of sophisticated military forces and the vital national interests of the stakeholders in the Sea tend to portend a problematic frontier. This article indicates certain policy implications and attempts to develop the framework of a scenario that is likely to emerge premised on high politics.