Territorial disputes in the South China Sea

The South China Sea disputes involve both island and maritime claims among several sovereign states within the region, namely the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace, the People's Republic of China (PRC), the Republic of China (Taiwan) (ROC), Malaysia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of the Philippines, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. An estimated US$5 trillion worth of global trade passes through the South China Sea, there are many non-claimant states that want the South China Sea to remain as international waters. Several states (e.g. the United States of America) are conducting "freedom of navigation" operations to promote this situation.

The disputes include the islands, reefs, banks, and other features of the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, and various boundaries in the Gulf of Tonkin. There are further disputes, including the waters near the Indonesian Natuna Islands, which many do not regard as part of the South China Sea. Claimaint states are interested in retaining or acquiring the rights to fishing areas, the exploration and potential exploitation of crude oil and natural gas in the seabed of various parts of the South China Sea, and the strategic control of important shipping lanes.

In July 2016, an arbitral tribunal constituted under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ruled against the PRC's maritime claims in Philippines v. China, although it is not enforceable. The PRC neither acknowledges the tribunal nor abides by its ruling, insisting that any resolution of the matter should be made through bilateral negotiations with other claimants.

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