The Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. The interests of the littoral countries in the resources of the SCS heightened after the first experiences of the global oil crises of the 70s through the 80s and particularly after the ratification of the UNCLOS by most Un-member countries in 1982.Ĭountries such as China took the early initiative of formalizing claims in 1947 by its representative of China who was based in today’s Taiwan province. The major and minor parties navigated the potentially rough waters of the SCS controversy very early on due to the paramount importance of the SCS oil, gas and fisheries resources that were recognized as essential to the economic and political needs of the SCS littoral countries. Taiwan is in another category and a special case. This is thanks to the sobriety, pragmatism and plain good common sense of the three major parties, i.e., China, Vietnam and the Philippines, as well the minor parties Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. Through the past ten years of going back and forth on the issue amongst contenders who claim dominance over the South China Sea (SCS), there has been no immovable object nor unstoppable force aimed at any of the contending nations. “What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?” The question is appropriate when applied to the South China Sea contentions (the term “dispute” is already too loaded).
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