Comments: Open war in the South China Sea

Paper Edition | Page: 7

July 28, p. 6

Will the South China Sea territorial and jurisdictional disputes trigger an open war in the region? If we think that wars are the last resort to settling disputes between sovereign states, the answer will no doubt be yes. History shows that countries go to war if the peaceful means of dispute settlement over territorial claims fail.

Thus, designing an effective, peaceful mechanism of conflict resolution is most important. However, the South China Sea case is so complex and difficult.

Your comments:

China has mobilized domestic opinion strongly against the Philippines, and it’s difficult to walk back to a more accommodating position now without losing face. Thanks to The Jakarta Post for publishing such a good article, when many prominent people have been bought off by Chinese money.

Whales

This depends on how you qualify an “open war”. I am not so sure China will take the risk of waging an open war against the Philippines or Vietnam to settle the issue of South China Sea, unless it is forced upon her. If you qualify “open war” as skirmishes and simmering tensions, I think I could agree.

Tao Ha lie