Spratly Islands Bone of Contention Among Philippines, China, Vietnam

With the attention of the Obama administration fixed on the Middle East, yet another international crisis is threatening to disturb the peace of the world, this time around the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The Spratly Islands are the focus of a territorial dispute between the Philippines, China, and Vietnam, among other countries. At hazard are vast deposits of oil and gas as well as a lush commercial fishing zone.

While the Philippines is dedicated to the peaceful resolution of the dispute, which goes back decades, the country is also committed to building up naval strength to increase its capacity to defend its territorial claims if necessary. It has also called upon the United States to help it defend its claims.

A naval conflict in the South China Sea, which the Philippines refer to as the West Philippine Sea and Vietnam called the East Sea, would not be in the interests of anyone. While China has been aggressive in asserting what it considers its national interests, it is not yet capable of asserting sovereignty over the Spratly Islands should it be opposed by the US 7th Fleet. Embroiled in a multi front war in the Middle East and Central Asia, the United States is not interested in participating in a fight in the Far East, especially with another nuclear power.

The smaller countries with claims over the Spratly Islands, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as Taiwan and Malaya, would be caught in the middle of a super power clash should it occur.

What the basis of a diplomatic settlement of the Spratly dispute is not clear. Ceding the islands to one country or another would leave all the other claimants aggrieved and motivated possibly to assert their own claims by force. That would mean that some kind of permanent presence, likely American led, would have to be stationed in the Spratly Islands to keep the peace.

Alternatively, some kind of joint sovereignty arrangement could be worked out in which all or most of the claimant countries would be partners in the development of the Spratly Island resources and sharing the profits. That would have the virtue of not leaving any party to the dispute unsatisfied, tamping down on the possibility of military conflict, while at the same time binding the parties together to cooperate rather than fight to enjoy the fish and hydrocarbon resources of the Spratly Islands.