China

Key Issues

East China Sea

On November 23, 2013, China established an "East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone"(ADIZ), overlapping with existing ADIZs of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, including a cluster of disputed islands known as the Senkaku or Diaoyu Islands. Both the US and Japan do not recognize China's inclusion of the disputed islands in its ADIZ-defined territory. (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1421873/us-vents-criticism-chinese-claims-south-china-sea)

According to Bonnie S Glaser, an ADIZ is defined as "a declaration of a perimeter within which unidentified aircraft can be intercepted and prevented from illegally proceeding to enter national airspace." ADIZs are conventionally defined by nations to be more extensive than respective territorial airspace. At least 20 nations have defined ADIZs in the Pacific. (http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/CHIN-01-261113.html) 

Of particular contention in the East China Sea is a series of islets called the Senkaku Islands by the Japanese and Diaoyu Islands by the Chinese, which have caused conflict between the two parties since the 19th century. After the end of World War II, the US had administered the islets, and in 1972, the islets were returned to Japanese control along with Okinawa. Nevertheless, the Chinese from time to time would assert their presence in the area to stake their claim. In 2008, China and Japan would agree on a joint framework to develop disputed gas fields in the East China Sea. Nevertheless, tensions flared in 2010 when a Chinese trawler clashed with Japanese patrol boats, upon which Japan seized the trawler and brought charges against its captain, and again in 2012 when the Japanese government purchased three of the islets from a private owner.(https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-to-navigate-the-east-china-sea-dispute-between-japan-and-china/2014/04/18/953731a8-c67b-11e3-9f37-7ce307c56815_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.555a52e57383)

south China Sea

Yet another area of contention between China and its neighbors is the South China Sea. China puts forth historical claims to about 90% of the South China Sea as defined by the nine-dash line, a claim which rattles its neighbors, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei, all of which have overlapping territorial claims in this region. The South China Sea is key to the economies of these countries, representing ten percent yield of global fisheries, as well as a significant maritime route for at least US$5 trillion in trade. The US position in 2014 had been to not take sides in the territorial disputes but to place emphasis on the importance of peaceful resolution. (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1421873/us-vents-criticism-chinese-claims-south-china-sea)

In November 2013, Hainan province issued a set of maritime regulations, essentially reiterating and implementing a set of regulations introduced in 2004. The regulations included restrictions on “foreigners and foreign fishing ships engaged in fishery production or fishery resource surveys,” requiring such entities to obtain requisite permits to enter the waters administered by Hainan. These waters included essentially half of the South China Sea, including disputed territories such as the Paracels, the Macclesfield Bank, and the Spratlys, areas that have also been claimed by Vietnam, Philippines, and Taiwan. Neighboring countries have rejected the above regulations, resulting in heightened tension and a subsequent series of fishing boat skirmishes. (https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/china-to-foreign-fishing-boats-get-out-of-south-china-sea/)

China has dramatically increased its surveillance capacity and fleet presence in the South China Sea, as well its ability to coordinate such measures through a reorganization of agencies within the Chinese Coast Guard. In 2012, it established Sansha City in the Paracel Islands, escalating its surveillance and interception of fishing boats from neighboring countries to a much higher rate. China and the Philippines have attempted to co-operate around the Scarborough Shoal, but nevertheless engage in occasional vessel-vessel scuffles. The Spratly Islands and other areas remained outside the area of Hainan’s fishing regulations. In harder-to-reach areas of the South China Sea as well as those falling outside practicality of regular patrols, China has resorted to ceremonial displays of strength, such as the crossing of an amphibious assault ship and two destroyers around James Shoal, at the southernmost point of the nine-dash line, claimed by Malaysia. While some believe China is making a greater legal case for its claims, it is of note that according to international law, after a territorial dispute is recognized, no additional actions taken by claimants of the disputed territory have any bearing on their claims. In the meantime, neighboring countries have increased cooperation to push back against China’s claims, albeit some, such as South Korea and Japan, have disputes over said territories amongst themselves. (http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2014/03/28/beijings-south-china-sea-strategies-consolidation-and-provocation/)

On March 31, 2014, the Philippines filed a formal complaint against China to a UN tribunal, a day after Chinese vessels attempted to stop a Phillippines ship from delivering supplies to the Second Thomas Shoal, where a stationary Philippines Navy ship has been beached with troops since 1999. China believed the Philippines was trying to build structures on the shoal to reinforce its claim. The Philippines claimed that China was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26781682)

military

On March 3, 2014, US intelligence confirmed that China had developed a new intermediate-range nuclear missile (IRBM), the Dongfeng-26C (DF-26C). The missile has a range of 2,200, sufficient to reach US military assets stationed on the island of Guam. (https://freebeacon.com/national-security/china-fields-new-intermediate-range-nuclear-missile/) 

On March 4, 2014, China conducted a full-scale island assault in the South China Sea, with three Type 071 amphibious transport dock ships, as well as destroyers, frigates, military helicopters, and submarines (probable). The amphibious transport dock ships are the PLA Navy's largest vessels with the exception of what was then its single aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. (http://nosint.blogspot.com/2014/03/china-conducts-full-scale-island.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter)

In 2014, China announced an increase in its military budget to $132 billion, a 12.2% increase from 2013. In 2013, its military budget had increased by 10.7% over the previous year. China has the second largest military budget in the world after the United States ($526.8 billion in 2014). While unofficial estimates of Chinese miltary spending are projected to be an estimated $148 billion, it is still much lower than US spending. (https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/world/asia/china-military-budget.html?partner=rss&emc=rss) Chinese military strategy has focused on modernization of their military and seeking asymmetric advantages over the US. According to Chinese state media, China aims to keep its defense spending at half or two-thirds that of the US. As of 2014, its defense spending was triple that of Japan's, with the goal of "seeking an absolute advantage over Japan in terms of naval and air forces and striking capabilities" due to Japan's military alliance with the US. (https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/chinas-defence-splurge-good-for-world-peace-no-threat-to-anyone-state-media) 

Environmental issues

Perhaps one of the primary domestic challenges China is facing is environmental issues, most notably heavy pollution of its land, water, and air. According to a 2013 study on water quality conducted by the PRC’s Ministry of Land and Resources, 60% of underground water in China was rated “very poor” to “relatively poor” and undrinkable without prior treatment, an increase from 57.4% in 2012. 16% of its land was considered polluted (https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/60-per-cent-of-china-underground-water-polluted-report#sthash.FiG0qdjK.dpuf)/

Relevant History

Related Blog Entries

References

"US vents criticism of Chinese claims in South China Sea," South China Morning Post, February 6, 2014. (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1421873/us-vents-criticism-chinese-claims-south-china-sea)

Glaser, Bonnie S. "China's ADIZ undermines regional stability," Asia Times, November 26, 2013. (http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/CHIN-01-261113.html). 

Nye, Joseph and Rudd, Kevin. “How to navigate the East China Sea dispute between Japan and China,” Washington Post, April 18, 2014. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-to-navigate-the-east-china-sea-dispute-between-japan-and-china/2014/04/18/953731a8-c67b-11e3-9f37-7ce307c56815_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.555a52e57383)

Tiezzi, Shannon. “China to Foreign Fishing Boats: ‘Get Out’ of South China Sea,” The Diplomat, March 7, 2014. (https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/china-to-foreign-fishing-boats-get-out-of-south-china-sea/)

Polling, Gregory. “Beijing’s South China Sea strategies: consolidation and provocation,” East Asia Forum, March 28, 2014. (http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2014/03/28/beijings-south-china-sea-strategies-consolidation-and-provocation/)

“Philippines files case to UN in South China Sea dispute,” BBC News, March 31, 2014. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26781682)

Gertz, Bill. "China fields new intermediate-range nuclear missile," Free Beacon, March 3, 2014. (https://freebeacon.com/national-security/china-fields-new-intermediate-range-nuclear-missile/)

"China conducts full-scale island assault exercise with massive amphibious vessels," Naval Open Source INTellgence, March 4, 2014. (http://nosint.blogspot.com/2014/03/china-conducts-full-scale-island.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter)

Wong, Edward. "China announces 12.2% increase to military budget," The New York Times, March 5, 2014. (https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/world/asia/china-military-budget.html?partner=rss&emc=rss)

"China's defense splurge good for world peace, no threat to anyone: State media," Straits Times, March 6, 2014. (https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/chinas-defence-splurge-good-for-world-peace-no-threat-to-anyone-state-media) 

“60 percent of China underground water polluted: Report,” Straits Times, April 23, 2014. (https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/60-per-cent-of-china-underground-water-polluted-report#sthash.FiG0qdjK.dpuf)