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Chapter 2
Geo-Strategic Shifts in the South China Sea

Geo-Strategic Balance in the Region

During the 1990’s Southeast Asia was with global supremacy a long-term goal
considered a region of comparatively in conjunction with its rise as a military

low significance in United States’ and economic power. The United States’

foreign and security policy. The struggle Strategic Approach towards the People’s
Implications to ASEAN
against terror changed that perception Republic of China report, published in
and brought new United States interest May 2020, claims that the Chinese

to Southeast Asia, especially to countries Communist Party (CCP) will seek to

affected by Islamic radicalism. This “exploit the free and open rules-based order

renewed focus on the war against terror, and attempt to reshape the international
14
has diverted United States attention to system in its favor”.
further key regional matters, such as China’s
Evolving Geo-Strategic Matrix in South China Sea:
growing expanding engagement with
10 the region, especially ASEAN nations. 12

Some view that rise of Chinese influence

in Southeast Asia has come at the cost

of United States’ disconnections with the

region, whereas others view China’s growing
regional influence are mostly due to a

genuine outcome of China’s economic

13
dynamism. The United States view that
China is likely to pursue regional ambitions
in the Indo–Pacific region in the short term,

12 https://www.brookings.edu/research/u-s-security-policy-in-asia-implications-for-china-u-s-relations/
13 China-Southeast Asia Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications for the United States.
14 U.S. Department of Defense, Indo–Pacific Strategy Report: Preparedness, Partnerships, and Promoting
a Networked Region (Washington, D.C.: DoD, 2019); and The White House, United States Strategic
Approach to the People’s Republic of China (Washington, D.C.: The White House, 2020).