Why in the News?
Vietnam and China have agreed to reduce tensions over their South China Sea dispute following accusations of a "brutal" attack on Vietnamese fishermen by Beijing. Despite their strong trade ties, historical tensions persist, particularly regarding China's claims in the region, which an international ruling has deemed legally unfounded.
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South China Sea
- Strategic Location: The South China Sea is bordered by
- China and Taiwan to the North
- The Indo-Chinese peninsula (including Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore) to the West.
- Indonesia and Brunei to the South.
- The Philippines to the East (referred to as the West Philippine Sea).
- It is connected by the Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by the Luzon Strait with the Philippine Sea (both marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean).
- Trade Importance of South China Sea
- According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) 80% of global trade by volume and 70% by value is transported by sea, with 60% of it passing through Asia and one-third of global shipping moving through the South China Sea.
- China, the world's second-largest economy, relies heavily on the South China Sea, with an estimated 64% of its trade passing through the region. In contrast, only 14% of United States trade traverses these waters.
- India relies on the region for approximately 55% of its trade.
- Fishing Ground: The South China Sea is also a rich fishing ground, providing a vital source of livelihood and food security for millions of people in the region.
South China Sea: Map (to Scale)
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