China, The Spratly Islands Territorial Dispute and Multilateral Cooperation. An Exercise in Realist Rhetoric or Mere Diplomatic Posturing? A Critical Review.
Article from: OGEL Archive issue , in Roundup of Articles
Introduction
There is a contradiction in the Chinese South China Sea policy concerning the Spratly islands. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the old regional order in the Asia Pacific, the end of the Cold War brought about a fundamental change in the structure of international relations especially via territorial conflicts in the South China Sea. This contradiction in the South China Sea policy has been an impediment to the idea of multilateral cooperation for the past two decades - especially because China is perceived as the dominant actor, the focal point of ...