The Root of Problem Emerging South China Sea (LTS)

  The South China Sea (LTS) conflict was the hottest in the 21st century, involving China, the United States and most ASEAN member states indirectly. Initially, the People's Republic of China claimed its sovereignty over the South China Sea on the grounds that their traditional fishermen had been exploring the islands of Spratly and Paracel since 200 BC. They even claimed that there were settlements in the islands from the previous dynasty. China also claims to have discovered ancient crocks and coins on the islands. In addition, the name 'South China Sea' is derived from the given names of their ancestors and records from the Song and Yuan dynasties that listed the islands in their territory.

     The Chinese government, both nationalists (Kuomintang) and communists, confirmed that the South China Sea was their waters. The change of government did not change this claim, although China is currently divided into the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Taiwan. China's growing position in the global economy makes China believe that it is time to wipe out the shame that happened hundreds of years ago. China's discovery of 25 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 213 billion barrels of petroleum under the ocean in 1970, further escalating the conflict but China did not always act responsibly and did not always act aggressively. China does not always exhibit aggressive behavior or act irresponsibly in the use of natural resources such as natural gas and petroleum because the decision is influenced by a number of factors, including political, economic, and strategic considerations. First, China is likely to consider the impact of diplomatic relations with neighboring countries and global stakeholders. Decisions to be aggressive can create political tension and adverse economic consequences, while responsibility can strengthen China's position in international relations. Second, economic factors are key considerations. China may want to ensure the utilization of natural resources provides optimal economic benefits to the country, including efficient management and long-term sustainability. Internal factors such as political stability and domestic support also play a role in China's decision-making. Being aggressive without control can create instability within the country, while responsible attitudes can strengthen government legitimacy.

        The South China Sea conflict actually lasted more than 20 years, from 1974 to 2011. However, the recent tensions have raised a new concern in the region and are increasingly threatening global security and security (June, 2018). The dispute in the South China Sea raises global concerns as the region has strategic importance, both geopolitically and economically. Geopolitically, it is the center of a wide range of regional and global interests, involving countries such as China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. The potential for tensions to arise there risks triggering military conflicts that could involve wider dimensions. From an economic aspect, the South China Sea is a crucial maritime trade route, with a large influx of goods and energy passing through every year. Tensions in this region have the potential to cause serious disruption to international trade, with a negative impact on global economic growth. In addition, the dispute may disrupt overall regional stability. Competition in territorial claims and disputes over natural resource exploration rights in the South China Sea have created uncertainty and tension among the countries involved. This situation could potentially result in the formation of new alliances and partnerships, which could change the balance of power in the region. Continued tensions in the South China Sea have also the potential to have an impact on global security and security. Stability in the Asia-Pacific region has direct consequences for the overall global security dynamics. Therefore, international concern and concern over developments in the South China Sea reflects uncertainty and potential threats to global security and security.

       The South China Sea's point of dispute is that in the Spratly Islands, the dispute over ownership of the Spratly Islands and the Paracel Islands has a very long history. A long history of disputes over ownership of the Spartly Islands began in 1947, when the state of China set a dotted line aimed at claiming all the principalities in the region. The Spartly Islands and Paracel Islands have a long history and are directly bordered by the waters of several countries, such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. The islands are located approximately 1,100 km from the port of Yu Lin (Hainan Island, China) and 500 km from the coast of northern Borneo.

  The cause of the dispute over ownership of the Spartly Islands was due to several factors, including the claims of the two islands, the Spartly Islands and the Paracel Islands, which China claimed most of the territory included the Spartly Islands. Later the Spartly Islands and the Paracel Islands became targets of sovereignty by the Chinese claiming territories in the area. In addition, the Spartly Islands and the Paracel Islands are important natural resources for the economic development of countries in the region, such as China, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam. This is the reason for the LTS ownership dispute.

      Later in 2011, China held a meeting with ASEAN member states and agreed to discuss ways to resolve the South China Sea dispute that have not yet come to a solution. In 2013, China also promoted the "Maritime Silk Road" or "One Belt, One Road" as an economic solution in Asia and also proposed that ASEAN partner in the project. However, to date, China has never explained its sovereignty position in the South China Sea internationally, even though it has signed a Convention on the Law of the Sea treaty. This made ASEAN countries suspicious of China because they felt that China prioritized its interests over friendly countries and deliberately pushed back time to secure its position. In addition, the conflict was complicated by the presence of the United States that wanted to strengthen its position as a superpower in the Pacific, especially the United States supported the Philippines' claim of the South China Sea in a closed manner. After a minor conflict between the Philippines and Vietnam, China became aggressive by taking control of the islands of Spratly and Paracel, establishing a naval base on the islands. They even evicted Filipino fishermen from Scarborough shoals 200 miles off the coast of Palawan. Not only did the Chinese AB strengthen their fleet with the aircraft carrier 'Liaoning' and intentionally use the Chinese fishermen as an extension of their 'Proxy War'. The aggressive action received protests from the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and the United States.

  

  In addition to military power, China also sought to break the consensus among ASEAN countries. Through economic aid, they managed to persuade Laos and Cambodia not to raise the issue. It was proved when ASEAN did not raise the issue of the South China Sea at the foreign ministers' and APEC meetings in Laos in 2012 and 2016. On the other hand, most ASEAN countries feel that they have no interest in the dispute. Likewise, Indonesia only questioned the validity of the nine-degree line, because it crossed with the waters of Natuna island.

Of all ASEAN members, only the Philippines brought the case to the International Arbitration Court in 2013 and won in 2016. The Philippines' victory over China was received with great excitement by Vietnam and the United States, while China said it did not accept the decision and maintained that the South China Sea was their waters based on the existing "history". China refused to accept the decision of the International Court of Arbitration issued on July 12, 2016 concerning the South China Sea Dispute between China and the Philippines. China states that its territorial claims in the South China Sea are based on historical aspects rather than on the 1982 Convention on International Maritime Law (UNCLOS). In addition, China refused to participate in the arbitration process and stated that the ruling lacked legal power.

    China's position in the South China Sea involves various aspects, such as security, foreign policy, and regional dynamics. China continued to maintain its sovereignty and maritime rights in the region involving artificial islands, historical claims through the "Nine-Dash Line", as well as military installations. In terms of security, China has built military bases on artificial islands and increased military security in the region. However, these measures have been a source of tension with neighboring countries and have sparked international concerns over regional stability. The dispute over the South China Sea will continue until each side is willing to meet to resolve the issue. For the conflict to end, all parties, especially China, must be able to build trust and prioritize cooperation with each country (Aulia, 2023).

  My name is Maria Stephanie Olivia Java, I am a third-semester student majoring in international relations. I studied at the University of Technology Yogyakarta and entered into the 2022 class. The reason I chose to major in international relations is because I really like things related to relationships with other countries, like social sciences, but I don't like political science. My motivation for entering this major is to become a diplomat or something and to travel abroad to discuss related issues.
In that department, I liked the Indonesian Political System course and my favorite lecturer was none.
In addition, I plan to choose a business concentration.