At no other time in history do some Asean countries face several maritime challenges than during this second decade of the 21st century. All because of the uses of the South China (West Philippine) Sea and its resources – major shipping routes, important fishing grounds and abundant oil and gas reserves. But over and above those maritime pursuits is the question of territorial (land, water and air space) ownership as developed in law. “The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around 3,500,000 square kilometers.” Center of dispute is the Spratly Islands area. China’s unilaterally declared “nine-dash line” ownership of 90% of the South China (West Philippine) Sea overlaps with the competing claims of some Asean countries – Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Non-Asean claimant is Taiwan. Similarly claimed by China is Natuna Islands at the southern tip of the South China (West Philippine) Sea which is within Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and sits on Indonesia’s maritime borders with Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Tolentino, A. S. Jr. (2015, May 26). Maritime convulsion in the 'Asean' seas. The Manila Times, p. A5.