On China's South China Sea Policy (1946-1991)

The complicated situation of today's South China Sea issue asks for a look back through history in order to acquire useful experience.As for the existing analysis about China's policy on the South China Sea issue,there exists an incomplete timeline of narrative.Moreover,analysis about the factors that shape the South China Sea policy remain further exploration.The China's South China Sea policy means the decisions and actions taken by the Chinese decision-makers which aims at protecting its islands sovereignty and maritime rights.These actions and decisions are based on the judgement and evaluation about the situation of both home and abroad.From an overall perspective,the international situation,the naval force and decision-maker's understanding are key factors that shaped China's South China Sea policy.The shift of international situation means the change of the balance of power between different states.This change triggers the shock of international political power structure,hence relationship between states will be influenced simultaneously.Factors that influence foreign policy may also be re-shuffled.The freedom of action and the accessibility of resources will also be influenced.The numbers of naval vessels and their combat capability will influence the effectivity of the naval force as a tool of foreign policy.The international situation can either provide accessibility or barrier for a state to obtain enough resource for naval force development.The development of naval force is closely related with the decision-maker's definition and arrangement of national security agenda.The decision-maker's understanding refers to the command of knowledge on a foreign relationship issue,and the place that decision-maker that arranged on the overall foreign policy agenda.The command of knowledge,the getting and transmitting system of intelligence and information,the national sentiment and the consideration of regime stability are key factors that influence decision-maker's understanding on a foreign policy issue.These three inter-connected factors listed above co-determined the goals and actions that China take on the South China Sea issue.The change of these factors means the China's South China Sea policy have different features in different periods.With the process of China's taking of reefs and islands as footholds in South China Sea,this thesis will discuss the feature of China's South China Sea policy and how these three factors influenced this policy.Protecting China's sovereignty and maritime rights have been the consistent goal of China's South China Sea policy.However,the factors listed above occasionally posed as barriers that influenced the policy choice.Specifically,the backwardness of naval force and the lack of a good command of knowledge restricted the choice of policy instruments.As for the South China Sea policy in the future,a rational way of thinking and managing resources are needed.The over-simplified strategic thinking shall be avoided.