Abstract: In Recent years, the disputes in South China Sea have become increasingly complicated and intensified, developing into a long term game of multi-party conflicts. These changes might be a long term trend. Some of the parties involved in these conflicts have made long range blueprints and taken substantial actions, not for the purpose of merely controlling more maritime resources in economic competitions, but for the strategic objective of restraining China’s rise. Under such circumstances, China’s government is not only confronted with constant buildup of external pressure, but also faced with ever louder callings of domestic citizens for tougher stand of China on those issues. Therefore the room for China’s diplomatic maneuver is constantly squeezed and reduced. In consideration of such dilemma, it is necessary for China to take each indispensible measure to construct a mechanism and rally relevant manpower and material resources ahead of any further deterioration of situation. At the same time it should also maintain its mediations among various countries through diplomatic postures.
ZHANG Zuqian, the author of this paper, is the deputy secretary-general and the academic director of the Shanghai Institute for European Studies. Starting out from China’s perspective, he takes a profound analysis over the history and essence of the issues of disputes in South China Sea, and proposes some advice to China’s government for an appropriate handling of those issues.
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