In today’s piece, we are briefing you on the second chapter of our report, “Making the South China Sea a Sea of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation: China's Actions.” We would love to answer any questions you might have so be sure to drop a like, comment, and subscribe for more!
As the largest coastal state in the South China Sea, China plays a vital role in maintaining regional peace and stability. This shared commitment to peace and stability serves as the greatest common ground between China and its neighboring countries in the South China Sea.
Throughout history, China has never sought to pursue "regional hegemony." China remains committed to managing differences with involved parties, exercising restraint in disputes, and working diligently with regional countries to build a rules-based maritime order in the South China Sea.
China's vision for transforming the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation rests on four core principles: Equal-footed CONSULTATION, Rule-based COMANAGEMENT, Mutually-beneficial COOPERATION, and a CONSTRUCTIVE role.
These 4C principles, developed and refined through practical experience, have withstood the test of time. The collaborative achievements between China and ASEAN countries clearly show that dialogue can overcome any obstacle, and cooperation can fulfill any aspiration.
I. Equal-footed CONSULTATION
Equality serves as the cornerstone of negotiation and consultation, which provides the path to resolving differences.
The Chinese government has consistently advocated that South China Sea disputes should be resolved through negotiation and consultation between directly concerned parties, emphasizing that peace and stability in the South China Sea must be jointly maintained by China and ASEAN countries.
On December 25, 2000, China and Vietnam signed agreements in Beijing on the delimitation of territorial seas, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelves in the Beibu Gulf, alongside a fishery cooperation agreement. These agreements, in effect since 2004, have established the foundation for China- Vietnam maritime cooperation and joint development in the Beibu Gulf waters, enabling effective operation of the joint development working group consultation mechanism.
While China and the Philippines have not held formal negotiations to resolve South China Sea disputes, they have engaged in multiple consultations on managing maritime disputes. The two nations have agreed to resolve disputes through negotiation and consultation, as formalized in several bilateral agreements. The 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, signed by China and ASEAN countries, strengthened this commitment. In the August 1995 Joint Statement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of the Philippines concerning Consultations on the South China Sea and on Other Areas of Cooperation, both sides declared that "disputes should be resolved by countries directly concerned" and that "a gradual and progressive process of cooperation shall be adopted with a view to eventually negotiating a settlement of the bilateral disputes." This understanding was later reinforced through additional bilateral documents, including the March 1999 Joint Press Release of the China- Philippines Experts Group Meeting on Confidence Building Measures and the May 2000 Joint Statement on the Framework of Bilateral Cooperation in the Twenty- First Century between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines.
In July 2016, the Foreign Ministers of China and ASEAN countries issued the "Joint Statement on the Full and Effective Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," emphasizing that disputes should be resolved peacefully through negotiation and consultation between directly concerned sovereign states.
The People's Republic of China has signed boundary treaties with 12 of its 14 land neighbors through bilateral negotiations and consultations in a spirit of equality and mutual understanding，and about 90% of China's land boundaries have been delimited and demarcated.
In 2024, through joint efforts between China and ASEAN countries, the South China Sea has remained largely peaceful and stable. China and Indonesia have signed an intergovernmental consensus document on maritime joint development, while China and Malaysia have begun bilateral dialogue on maritime issues. China has now established comprehensive institutional dialogue with all South China Sea claimant states.
China has demonstrated sincerity and sustained efforts to resolve disputes through negotiation. Experience has shown that only through equal negotiations can parties achieve lasting dispute resolution, and fully and effectively implement their agreements.
II. Rule-based COMANAGEMENT
Before maritime disputes are resolved, concerned parties must exercise restraint and establish practical interim arrangements. These arrangements should include developing and strengthening rules and mechanisms to prevent disputes and conflicts from escalating.
Regarding the South China Sea issue, China firmly upholds international maritime law, especially the principles and rules of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Through concrete actions, China defends the authority and integrity of international maritime law. Based on an in-depth understanding of international practice and its own rich practice, China firmly believes that no matter what mechanism or means is chosen for settling disputes between any countries, the consent of states concerned should be the basis of that choice, and the will of sovereign states should not be violated.
In 2002, China and ASEAN countries signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. This milestone political document not only eased regional tensions but also established a political foundation and guarantee for dispute resolution.
Under the framework of the Declaration, China and ASEAN countries continue advancing consultations on the "Code of Conduct in the South China Sea." These discussions aim to establish mechanisms for conflict management at both bilateral and multilateral levels, explore joint development of fisheries and oil/gas resources, and create cooperation mechanisms among coastal states as outlined in the UNCLOS.
Even during periods of disagreement and unilateral actions, the Declaration remains the cornerstone for rebuilding consensus.
In September 2016, following the South China Sea arbitration ruling that July, the China- ASEAN Leaders' Meeting adopted two key documents: the "Guidelines for Hotline Communications among Senior Officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of ASEAN Member States and China in Response to Maritime Emergencies" and the "Joint Statement on the Application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea." These agreements enhance maritime situation joint management and help prevent conflicts from both arising and escalating.
During the maritime conflict between China and the Philippines at Ren'ai Jiao in July 2024, both nations utilized the Declaration and other bilateral consultation mechanisms to address the situation. China has been engaged in consultations with the Philippines over the Ren'ai Jiao issue and has established temporary arrangements for humanitarian supply deliveries. Both sides have agreed to jointly manage maritime differences and work to reduce tensions in the South China Sea.
III. Mutually-beneficial COOPERATION
The South China Sea issue involves multiple countries and numerous reefs across vast maritime areas, making swift resolution improbable.
International law and practice demonstrate that parties can cooperate effectively under proper control mechanisms even while disputes persist. The strategy of "shelving differences and pursuing joint development" strengthens mutual political trust and creates favorable conditions for eventual dispute resolution. Such interim cooperation does not affect final boundary determinations.
China and ASEAN countries, sharing the South China Sea region, are natural maritime neighbors bound by geography and culture.
China has established practical cooperation with neighboring South China Sea countries in oil and gas development, fisheries management, marine environmental protection, and meteorological services. These partnerships create an environment that facilitates dispute resolution, removes differences, and promotes shared development while building valuable cooperative experience.
In March 2024, the research vessel "Tan Suo Yi Hao" (Exploration No. 1), carrying the "Fen Dou Zhe" (Striver) full-ocean depth manned submersible, returned to Sanya, Hainan, after successfully completing the first China-Indonesia joint deep-sea scientific expedition to the Java Trench.
The expedition brought together 60 researchers from 11 institutions across both countries. These included the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Indonesia National Research and Innovation Agency's Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Fisheries Research Center, Haluoleo University (Universitas Haluoleo), Hang Tuah University (Universitas Hang Tuah), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Hainan Tropical Ocean University.
At the celebration ceremony during the vessel's stop at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia's then- Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, highlighted the expedition's significance. He described it as a new chapter in maritime cooperation between the two countries and expressed hope for deeper scientific collaboration and the training of more Indonesian scientists and engineers.
Regional cooperation has advanced through multiple initiatives: the high- quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, the joint promotion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), the creation of maritime emergency response systems including search and rescue hotlines and diplomatic channels, joint naval patrols, defense security consultations, and international ocean discovery programs.
The South China Sea showcases numerous examples of neighborly friendship and shared progress, though successful engagement depends on mutual effort and trust.
In March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed "A Tripartite Agreement on the Joint Seismic Undertaking in the Agreed Area in the South China Sea." This three-year agreement outlined plans to conduct 2D and 3D seismic surveys across 143,000 square kilometers, reprocess existing 2D seismic survey data, and evaluate the region's oil resources.
However, when the Philippines withdrew from cooperation, the China- Philippines confidence- building measures working group meetings stalled, ending the trilateral marine seismic survey work.
China has proven itself a steadfast force in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea while promoting cooperation and development. The nation remains committed to strengthening friendly relations with neighboring countries and actively fostering practical cooperation with both neighboring nations and regional 13 organizations like ASEAN to achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.
IV. A CONSTRUCTIVE Role
"China firmly upholds its territory, sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. Dialogue and consultation between the states concerned is always the best way to manage differences in the South China Sea. The United States should not get involved in bilateral disputes over the relevant islands and reefs of Nansha Qundao, nor should it aid or abet the impulsion to make provocations."Chinese President Xi Jinping made the remarks during his meeting with then-U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima, Peru.
The South China Sea serves as a crucial international maritime corridor, home to some of the world's busiest commercial shipping lanes. Regional peace and stability serve the common interests of both regional and external countries. The freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, as guaranteed under international law, stands as a fundamental consensus between China and other coastal states.
External powers, particularly including the United States, aim to maintain their privileged position in the South China Sea dating back to colonial and hegemonic times. Through alliance- building and meddling in regional disputes, they seek to preserve their maritime control for their own interests. In recent years, the United States, Japan, Australia, and the European Union have repeatedly invoked "freedom of navigation" —which amounts to unconstrained interference—making them "troublemakers" that disrupt peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Some countries' growing interference through military and diplomatic channels undermines regional stability. They work to strain relationships between regional countries and China, hampering joint efforts between China and ASEAN countries to maintain peace and stability. Their involvement encourages unilateral actions by other claimant states and diminishes opportunities for maritime cooperation.
On March 31, 2016, during the Fourth Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in Washington, President Xi Jinping met with then- U.S. President Barack Obama and stated: "The Chinese side respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation and overflight entitled to all countries by the international laws, and meanwhile will never accept any action that impairs China's national sovereignty and security interests with the excuse of freedom of navigation. The Chinese side hopes the US side to keep its commitment of not taking sides in disputes regarding sovereignty and territory and to play a constructive role in safeguarding the peace and stability of the South China Sea."
The South China Sea's openness and freedom are evident in the numbers: annually, about 500,000 commercial vessels traverse these waters, approximately 40% of global trade goods pass through the South China Sea and its surrounding straits, and over a million civilian aircraft operate in the airspace above—making it one of the world's busiest maritime and air corridors.
This demonstrates that China's protection of its sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and maritime rights does not impede the freedom of navigation and overflight that foreign vessels and aircraft enjoy under international law.
In recent years, however, U.S. military reconnaissance activities in the South China Sea have become increasingly aggressive. U.S. forces regularly approach the Chinese mainland and its Hainan Island's airspace, conducting approximately 100 approaches annually—most within 30 nautical miles of the territorial baseline.
China consistently advocates for resolving differences through bilateral friendly consultations with relevant countries. External intervention only complicates matters. China and relevant countries have both the capability and confidence to properly handle their disputes and ensure long-term peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Chapter 3: To be Continued…