Abstract
In her book The South China Sea Disputes, Nalanda Roy gives readers what she refers to as a ‘policy-orientated analytical narrative targeting interested attentive-elite readers’ (p. 8). In just over 100 pages of text, she provides a succinct and very readable, but largely descriptive, history of the various South China Sea (SCS) disputes. Her chapters explore issues such as the strategic and economic importance of the SCS disputes, a historical background, the role of external powers in the SCS, as well as the role of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). In the last 12 pages of the book, she even engages international relations (IR) theory and tends to view constructivism as a major reason for the absence of war in the SCS.
In the first two chapters, she provides a short background on each state involved in the dispute and analyses their particular claims. Importantly, she also explains the role of energy and other natural resources in the SCS. The second chapter gives a solid description of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and why it is relevant. In the third chapter, she provides detailed descriptions of various clashes in the SCS. A table on pages 45–46 is very helpful in demonstrating that China is not the only state that has seized and militarized territory in the SCS.
In the fourth chapter, she offers an analysis of the emerging geopolitics of the region and how these are connected to events in the Indian Ocean and the role of the American navy. She also discusses how the Indian Navy is expanding operations into the SCS as well as the southern edge of the Indian Ocean. Specifically, she points out that India’s growing involvement in the SCS will act as a counterweight to China’s increasing activities in the Indian Ocean Region, with states such as Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The book also examines the role that Washington is playing in the region and argues that increasing American involvement is a cause of concern in Beijing.
Towards the end of the book, she discusses ASEAN and how it can act as a peacemaker. She engages the debate on whether ASEAN matters in regional security and argues that, for neoliberals and social constructivists, ASEAN plays a large part in the formation of a common identity and in establishing social norms that help to maintain regional stability. This is in contrast to realists who may question ASEAN as a force for stability.
While the book provides a concise overview of the challenges in the SCS, it does not thoroughly engage some of the key issues. For example, she refers to nationalism and ‘energy nationalism’ (p. 59) but does not explain what this means, or crucially, why nationalism may have a bearing in the SCS context. Of vital importance, she does not adequately address some of the internal debates in China on the SCS. While mentioning that the city of Haikou on Hainan Island has banned fishing in the SCS for certain time periods, she does not elaborate on some of the internal politics and bureaucratic disagreements in the Chinese government over SCS policy (p. 61). For example, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security is responsible for issuing passports to the general public and in 2012 it included in new passports a map that depicted the SCS as belonging to China. However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not show the map in the passports it issues to Chinese diplomats (Jakobson, 2016, p. 142). Attempting to understand various bureaucratic interests within the Chinese government is very important to understanding Beijing’s stance on the SCS.
Roy hints the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) plays an important role in the conflict, arguing that the PLA made it clear that China’s maritime interests are non-negotiable. However, she does not delve into the bureaucratic role of the PLA in decision-making in China. Considering that the PLA has been excluded from the Politburo Standing Committee since 1997, and only two of 25 regular Politburo members are in the PLA, its overall bureaucratic influence is questionable. A deeper examination of the PLA as well as other ministries is necessary and would have been welcome.
The book could have been significantly reinforced with an additional 50 pages of analysis. The largely descriptive nature of the book makes it appropriate for generalists and those seeking to understand the basics of the SCS dispute. However, the more engaged academic and policy community may be dissatisfied with its lack of in-depth analysis. Readers may also find the absence of a map to be a shortcoming. Finally, a number of incorrect statements detracts from Roy’s work. One notable example is Roy’s claim that a Chinese submarine collided with the USS John S. McCain (p. 50) when in fact the Chinese submarine actually hit the towed underwater sonar array (Reuters Staff, 2009). While this criticism may appear to be quibbling, an actual collision might have been regarded as something just short of an attack by the American government. Another example can be seen in Roy’s recognizing PetroChina as a subsidiary of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (p. 23), when in fact it is a subsidiary of the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation. Whilst not strictly incorrect, Roy’s assertion that India’s aircraft carrier, Vikramaditya, and its Satpura class frigates are ‘trump cards’ in its ability to counter the Chinese in the Indian Ocean Region (p. 70), is not properly analysed in the context of increasing well-armed and supplied Chinese naval flotillas in the Indian Ocean. A stronger argument would be based on the geographical advantages India enjoys over China in the region, as well as an analysis of India’s emerging diesel- and nuclear-powered submarine programmes and how these relate to China.
Overall, the book will likely disappoint maritime security and China specialists. It does not offer any ground-breaking insight into the internal dynamics of the Chinese state, nor does it adequately engage the security studies literature. However, for those looking for a very readable and non-esoteric work that covers the key issues of the SCS dispute, this book is recommended.