The South China Sea: The Struggle For Power In Asia

Product Description

China`s rise has upset the global balance of power, & the first place to feel the strain is Beijing`s backyard: the South China Sea. For decades tensions have smouldered in the region, but today the threat of a direct confrontation among superpowers grows ever more likely. This important book is the first to make clear sense of the South Sea disputes. Bill Hayton, a journalist with extensive experience in the region, examines the high stakes involved for rival nations that include Vietnam, India, Taiwan, the Philippines, & China, as well as the United States, Russia & others. Hayton also lays out the daunting obstacles that stand in the way of peaceful resolution. Through lively stories of individuals who have shaped current conflicts
- businessmen, scientists, shippers, archaeologists, soldiers, diplomats
- Hayton makes understandable the complex history & contemporary reality of the South China Sea. He underscores its crucial importance as the passageway for half the world`s merchant shipping & one-third of its oil & gas. Whoever controls these waters controls the access between Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, & the Pacific. The author critiques various claims & positions (that China has historic claim to the Sea, for example), overturns conventional wisdom (such as America`s overblown fears of China`s nationalism & military resurgence), & outlines what the future may hold for this clamorous region of international rivalry.