Escalation of Tension in the South China Sea

The tension between the United States and China over the South China Sea escalated on Tuesday, October 27. In a move to take a stronger stance, the United States Navy sent in the USS Lassen, a guided missile destroyer, within the 12-nautical mile boundary declared by China in the Spratly archipelago. The United States did not inform China of this maneuver, prompting China to respond by calling the action "illegal and ill informed."

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter maintains that the U.S. sent in the warship to demonstrate the illegitimacy of China's territorial claims and assertions of sovereignty over the South China Sea.  Washington has also claimed that International Law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea give the United States, or any other nation, the right for "innocent passage" without notifying China.

In response to the recent development, Beijing has demanded that the U.S. "immediately correct its mistakes.” Chinese Navy Admiral Wu Shengli also released a statement saying, "Such dangerous and provocative acts have threatened China's sovereignty and security and harmed regional peace and stability." Because China sees the U.S. naval action as a threat against its sovereignty, many experts agree that China will feel the need to react.

But the U.S. is not expected to back down any time soon. One major reason for such commitment to this issue is the fact that hundreds of billions of dollars of U.S. trade relies on free passages through the South China Sea. However, China's increased militarization in the region is threatening this freedom.

According to Michael E. O'Hanlon, co-director of Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, the United States is the only nation that is in the position to offer counter-piracy operation services to the rest of the world. An immense amount of shipping, not only that of the United States but also that of the rest of the world, is conducted in the South China Sea. Considering this situation, O'Hanlon argues that the United States' worldwide naval activities for establishing freedom of navigation is justified.

Although direct confrontation is unlikely, a strong reaction from China is anticipated. Admiral Wu Shengli has warned of conflict by saying, "If the United States continues with these kinds of dangerous, provocative acts, there could well be a seriously pressing situation between frontline forces from both sides on the sea and in the air, or even a minor incident that sparks war."

Needless to say, tensions are high at the moment. There are speculations that China will mobilize its naval forces in retaliation, suggesting that the issue is far from resolved.