CHINESE FOREIGN POLICY AND THE CHALLENGES OF MARITIME SECURITY

Abstract

The center of gravity of international relations has been shifting from the Atlantic towards Asia mainly due to economic, political and strategic changes in the world. In this context, regional conflicts such as Taiwan problem, the issues between People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Japan, North Korea's nuclear program will be of importance at global level. Additionally, overlapping claims and disputes in the South China Sea (SCS) involving PRC, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei are ongoing. The complexity and versatility of the problems arising from the SCS made it necessary to examine the subject in terms of empirical data, international law, and regional and global politics. As a result of the data revealed and the evaluation made, it is argued that it does not seem possible for PRC to take a step back in the SCS due to its assertive and dominant foreign policy with the Jinping administration and will not hesitate to resort to controlled tension. It is believed that Beijing's decisive stance is sourced from both United States of America (USA)'s lack of a long-term strategy for the region and its own growing military capacity when compared to its regional rivals. Within the scope of the study, these problems have been discussed in the context of China's rise and ambitious foreign policy and the containment policy of the USA with its regional allies, and the global and regional effects of the maritime security problems are emphasized. The main argument of this article is that it seems difficult for Beijing to soften its claims regarding the SCS within the framework of its maritime security and foreign policy approach. In fact, regional opponents of Beijing need political and military support from the USA, while lack of its long-term and consistent strategy for the region stands out.