Abstract
A proposal for ensuring peace between nations in the South China Sea region is presented. An overview of the People’s Republic of China’s current policy reveals multiple contradictions in its regional politics. Present-day China is plagued by six distinct kinds of problems: military, legal, energy supply, environmental, relations with Taiwan, & governmental. Consequently, a six-stage proposal is offered for China’s future policy program in the South China Sea region to overcome these problems: (1) Negotiate a bilateral treaty with Vietnam on the Gulf of Tonkin. (2) Use Taiwan to negotiate treaties with several neighboring countries. (3) Reach an agreement with the Philippines over the Scarborough Reef. (4) Promote a redefinition of maritime zones into 12-nautical-mile territorial zones. (5) Establish its continental shelf & exclusive economic zone. & (6) Address the controversy surrounding the Spratly Islands. It is concluded that China’s failure to follow such a proposal may irrevocably damage peace prospects for the region, especially in light of the dwindling of regional fish reserves.
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