The South China Sea: a Place of Rivalry and Power Management

Abstract

South China Sea rated geopolitically, economically and strategically. It has been seen as the ‘hot spot’ that could be a source of tension in East Asia. Nicholas Spykman described the region as the ‘Asiatic Mediterranean’, while more recently, the term ‘Chinese Caribbean’ has been gaining favor and popularity, owing mainly to the ever-increasing importance of China in the region its efforts to play the role of a regional hegemon. The disputes in the South China Sea are complex, sometimes misunderstood, and it seems to be very difficult to propose more or less realistic scenarios for the foreseeable future.