Cognitive Theory Under The Perspective Of The South China Sea Issue Research

In recent years the situation in the South China Sea becomes an important factoraffecting the ability to achieve peaceful development. Neighboring countries in theSouth China Sea continue to take an act of provocation, invade the islands and reefsand exploit oil and gas resources that belong to China. China’s proposal of “Shelvingdifferences and seeking joint development” did not get a positive response in theneighboring countries of the South China Sea. These countries have a lot ofmisgivings about China policy. The settlement of the South China Sea issue faces a lotof obstacles. The very important point is that there is a lot of wrong perceptionbetween China and these countries, these cognitive errors impact the solution to theproblem of the South China Sea. Based on the basic idea of the cognitive theory, thispaper attempts to combine with the reality of the situation in the South China Sea tofind out the erroneous perception in the South China Sea issue, and put forward someproposals on the settlement of the South China Sea issue by analyzing the reasons forthese errors cognitive.The first part of this paper introduces the basic content of the cognitive theoryand analyses the feasibility of this theory in conjunction with the South China Seaissue. The second part analyses the reasons of South China Sea issue in theperspective of cognitive theory. The discovery of oil and gas resources make theneighboring countries recognize the importance of the South China Sea and marineconsciousness make China recognize the significance of maintaining sovereignty overthe South China Sea. Facing of disputes, China and the neighboring countries of theSouth China Sea select different ideas and lead to different approaches. The third partanalyses the reason of the difficulties to resolve the South China Sea issue from thepoint of view of the cognitive theory. Neighboring countries in the South China Sea isfull of doubts about China’s peaceful rise strategy but these countries still invade thereefs and oil and gas resources in the South China Sea and attempt to create theillusion of "the fact of occupation". Media reports are out of context, nationalnationalism continues to heat up in the country, and consultations lack of trust, all of these make it more difficult to resolve the South China Sea issue. The fourth partoffers some suggestions on how to solve the South China Sea issue on the basis ofcognitive theory. Firstly China should understand the policies of neighboringcountries in the South China Sea rationally. Secondly China’s declaration ofsovereignty in the South China Sea should be clear. Finally, China and neighboringcountries of the South China Sea should make joint efforts to fight for an early andpeaceful settlement to the South China Sea issue.