The South China Sea has not been spared the nail-biting tension of 2020. As claimant states are preoccupied with efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous worrying incidents have occurred within the maritime territory, exacerbating the animosity among the states. The presence of external actors has added strain to the geopolitical turmoil. Violations of sovereign rights form one of the most pressing issues in the South China Sea. The biggest incident so far was the West Capella standoff after Malaysia started an oil and gas survey in late 2019 within the Malaysia-Vietnam Joint Defined Area.

Urgently needed: SCS Code of Conduct. (2020, August 1). Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A9.