OpenGuide-South China Sea disputes are a hot topic discussed for the exams of UPSC IAS,SSC,PSC and bank exams.Every day there will be a news related to South China Sea dispute and UNCLOS but most of the students dont know the story behind the south china sea disputes.Given below are the short notes regarding the south china sea disputes important for the aspirants of UPSC IAS Exams.

Background

China's sweeping claims of ownership over the sea and the alleged 11 billion barrels of untapped oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas have antogonized competing claimants Malaysia,Vietnam,Brunei,Taiwan and the Phillipines.

The disputed areas include islands,reefs,banks and other features of the South China Sea including Spratly islands,Paracel Islands and various boundaries in the Gulf of Tonkin.The nine dash line claimed by the Republic of China covers almost most of the South China Sea.The nine dash claimed by People's Republic of China includes Paracel Islands,the Spratly islands,Pratas Islands,Macclesfield Bank and the Scarborough Shoal.

Why does China and others want to control South China Sea?

China and other claimants wants to control South China Sea because the floorline of the south china sea may contain massive oil and natural gas reserves.It would also allow China to disrupt trade shipments to all countries in East and South East Asia.The south china sea is a major international way,rich in hydrocarbons and natural resources.

Who are the other claimants of South China Sea?

Brunei:-Maritime features such as Bombay Castle,Louisa Reef,Owen Shoal and Rifleman Bank all fallwithin Brunei's Exclusive Economic Zone,but Brunei claims only Louisa Reef,which lies upon its continental Shelf.Louisa  is a part of Spratly Islands.

Malaysia:-Malaysia claims a portion of South China Sea north of Borneo,which encompasses at least 12 features in the Spratly island chain.

Philippines:-It claims sovereignity over north western part of the Spratly Islands which Philippines administers as Kalayaan,in addition to the Scarborough Shoal.

Taiwan:-As with China,Taiwan claims soverignity over all the island groups in the South China Sea and jurisdiction over adjacent waters.

Vietnam:-Vietnam's official stance on sovereignity over the Paracel and Spratly islands was first established in a white paperissued by Ministry of Foriegn Affairs in 1974

What is UNCLOS?

Unites Nations Convention on the Law of the sea also called the Law of the Sea convention or the Law of the Sea treaty is the international agreement  that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the law of the sea(UNCLOS III)which took place between  1973 and 1982.The law of the sea convention defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to their use of the world's oceans.