The Historical, Geopolitical, and Legal Background of The South China Sea Dispute

Abstrak

The South China Sea has been and will always be part of one of the most vital sea routes in the world. Its strategic location is important not only for regional states but also for extra regional maritime states. This unanimity disregards the fact that the South China Sea is an area of high tension since there are many disputes among claimant states. Many factors contributed to the creation of the South China Sea dispute. Therefore, in this article, the author will succinctly discuss the historical, geopolitical, and legal background of the South China Sea dispute. One main conclusion that can be drawn is that the dispute is a result of a complex 
combination of many factors that might be impossible to resolve in the near future. Instead, it seems that states should learn to live with the dispute for a long period of time.