Dispute and Solution of the Sovereignty over South China Sea between China and Vietnam

• Main Authors: Chiang, Kao Sheng, 姜高生
• Other Authors: Ming-Shih Shen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/34102402258977906951

碩士 === 國防大學 === 戰略研究所 === 99 === According to historical records, China held sovereignty over the South China Sea since Qin and Han dynasties, and nearby islands were explicitly included as part of the territory of China during the Qing Dynasty. Thus, the "historical discovery, occupation and multi-times of ruling” are commonly used rationale by China when claiming and stressing its current legal sovereignty over the South China Sea islands. As to the handling of the South China Sea sovereignty, China has gradually changed its strategy and ideology from “land occupancy first, sea later” to “land and sea equally important,” and eventually turned to “actively control land and see power.” The means China adopts to resolve this sovereignty dispute has also changed from "diplomatic declaration," "armed take-over" to "shelving disputes, joint development." Combining the “neighbor-friendly foreign policy” with the current strategy and means, China wishes to collaborate with neighboring nations to create not only its national prosperity, but also prosperity in this area, hence to solve the South China Sea sovereignty dispute naturally. Since the implementation of "reform and innovation" policy, Vietnam has broadened its political and diplomatic contacts with other nations. After its economic system was amended to a free market economy, Vietnam gradually became part of the global market. By joining ASEAN while keeping relations with powerful nations such as the United States, Japan, India, Russia and the European Union, Vietnam has complicated and internationalized the South China Sea sovereignty issue to protect its vested interest in this area. This study aims to investigate the possible solution of South China Sea sovereignty dispute between China and Vietnam, analyze future possible collaboration and sovereignty issues among “six countries and seven powers” by discussing some successful bilateral consultation models such as the Tokyo Bay model, the Indian-Australian Timor Gap agreement model, the British and the Argentina Falkland Islands off the Gulf of Siam adopted by international community in the past. Hopefully, the political, economic, and shipping collaboration would come before sovereignty dispute. If China can effectively control the cooperation among countries in the South China Sea regarding sovereignty issues, while its domestic economy matches or surpasses the United States in 2020, and the modernization of its military forces can compete with other free nations, the influence of the United States will retreat back to the 2nd island chain. In other words, the 1st island chain will become China’s internal waters, hence, change the strategic situation of the South China Sea region.