The Philippines, Vietnam, and Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea

As Beijing continues to trumpet its “New Type of Great Power Relationship” with the United States, and the United States attempts to buttress its “Rebalance to Asia”, Asia-Pacific nations keep a close eye on relations between the two giants. New questions about China’s intentions and America’s commitments in the region seem to arise every week of late. Tensions are flaring over the Philippines’ arrest of Chinese poachers in its exclusive economic zone, over Chinese reconstruction of a reef in the Spratley Islands, and over Chinese drilling near the disputed Paracel Islands and the protests that ensued in Hanoi. Dr. Aileen Baviera of the University of the Philippines and Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam discussed their respective countries’ interests in the region and their perspectives on Sino-U.S. cooperation and competition in Asia-Pacific.  

This event was part of the Wilson Center’s Weighing the RebalanceSeries, a joint effort of the Asia Program and the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States. This three-year series brings regional experts to Washington to analyze Chinese and American roles in Asia-Pacific from the viewpoints of countries affected by Sino-U.S. competition and cooperation. The Series will conclude with a multilateral conference and publication of policy-briefs for policymakers in Washington and Beijing.

For further analysis please download Dr. Aileen Baviera's policy brief on China-U.S.-ASEAN Relations and Maritime Security in the South China Sea below. 

Previous Weighing the Rebalance programs on Australia and Japan can be accessed here.