China and the South China Sea Disputes

China and the South Sea China Disputes provides the most up-to-date analysis of the political context for South China Sea issues - with a focus on China - and offers an assessment of the future.;With the end of the Cold War, the ebbing of the Cambodian conflict, and improving relations between Vietnam and fellow ASEAN members, for the first time in a generation there is an opportunity for lasting peace in South-East Asia. But historical mistrust, territorial disputes, competing maritime claims, and rising military spending weaken the prospects for peace. Disputes over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea epitomise the present conflicts.;Mark Valencia analyses China's rhetoric, actions, and intent in the area, and reviews its relations with the United States, ASEAN, and other claimants in the South China Sea.;This book is intended for academics in international relations, international law, strategic studies; those involved in foreign and security policy.