SYLLABUS
GS-2: India and its neighborhood- relations; Effect of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora.
Context: China has issued management measures for the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve in the disputed South China Sea, further asserting its administrative control over the contested shoal amid its maritime dispute with the Philippines.
More on the News
- China has issued management measures for the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve to safeguard the diversity, stability and sustainability of the Huangyan Dao natural ecosystem.
- The measures prohibit unauthorized fishing, mining and extraction of corals and giant clams, while restricting entry except for conservation purposes.
- The PLA Southern Theatre Command also conducted a joint naval-air training exercise in the territorial sea and airspace around Huangyan Dao, reinforcing China’s presence in the disputed waters.
- The Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve is located in Sansha City, Hainan Province, with the coral reef ecosystem as its primary conservation focus.
About the South China Sea
- The South China Sea is situated just south of the Chinese mainland and is bordered by Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and Singapore.
- It is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime regions, connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
- The sea contains several disputed island groups, including the Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Dao), Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands and Pratas Islands.
- China claims nearly 90% of the South China Sea through the Nine-Dash Line, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims.
The Dispute
- China claims historical maritime rights over most of the South China Sea based on the Nine-Dash Line, while other claimant countries rely on their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
- China has increased its presence by constructing artificial islands, ports, military installations and airstrips, particularly in the Paracel and Spratly Islands.
- In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled that China’s historic rights claim under the Nine-Dash Line had no legal basis under UNCLOS and that the claims were incompatible with the Exclusive Economic Zones provided under the Convention.
- China rejected the tribunal’s award, maintaining that its rights over the South China Sea are legal and refusing to accept the ruling.
Importance of the South China Sea
- It is a major shipping route connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, with around 22% of global trade and nearly 60% of global maritime trade passing through it.
- The region is rich in fisheries, with more than half of the world’s fishing vessels operating in these waters, supporting the livelihoods of millions of people.
- According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the South China Sea contains an estimated 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas beneath its seabed.
Disputed Islands in the South China Sea
- Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Dao): Located about 120 nautical miles west of Luzon (Philippines).
- Claimed by both China and the Philippines.
- China has exercised effective control since 2012, while the Philippines maintains that the shoal lies within its EEZ.
- Spratly Islands: Claimed wholly or partly by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
- Several countries have occupied different islands and features since 1968.
- The archipelago is believed to contain significant oil, natural gas and fisheries resources.
- Paracel Islands: An archipelago consisting of around 130 islands and coral reefs, claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan.
- China has exercised effective control since 1974 after conflict with Vietnam.
- Since 2012, China, Vietnam and Taiwan have strengthened their claims through construction activities, land reclamation and expanded military presence.