Who:

The United States Navy and the Chinese Government

When:

Monday, Oct. 26, 2015

Where: The South China Sea

What:

China is laying controversial claim to reefs in the South China Sea and developing them into potential military bases, thereby physically extending their presence into the South China Sea. The United States, by sailing through this water, made a political statement that they do not recognize China’s claim to these reefs, causing tension between the U.S. and Chinese governments. 

So

What:

According to international nautical law, a claim can be made on any territory that remains above water during high tide and anything qualifying as land by this law is subject to a 12-nautical-mile buffer zone. Recently, China has been dredging up sand and piling it on unclaimed reefs located in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, an area that has been disputed for quite some time. 

Six countries—including U.S. allies—have battled for ownership of the sailing space. China’s objective is to create islands that will not disappear during high tide—qualifying them as subject to international nautical law. On Monday, the United States sailed a warship through the 12-nautical-mile radius of the Subi and Mischief reefs, which are under construction by China. This may seem insignificant (after all, no damage was done and the warship remained in these waters for approximately 45 minutes) but this action on the part of the U.S. carried significant political weight. Essentially, the United States has stated that they do not recognize China’s claim to these reefs-turned-islands, thereby undermining China’s claim in the South China Sea. The Chinese government, needless to say, was not pleased by the U.S.’s decision to sail through these waters and they have condemned this U.S. action as undermining Chinese international sovereignty. 

*Global

Smackdown

is

a

23-minute

forum

facilitated

by

Dr.

Tim

Horner

every

Wednesday

at

2

p.m.

in

Corr

Lounge.