South China Sea Drives Regional Choices

The defense priority for Southeast Asian countries is monitoring and protecting their territories in the South China Sea in response to China’s increased assertiveness and claims to this region.

Chinese submarines, ships and aircraft patrol the area now, and many Southeast Asian nations fear China will build military installations on the islands, atolls and reefs, paving the way for it to exploit the oil and gas reserves under the seabed. China already has a permanent fort on Mischief Reef in the South China Sea.

The fact that China has such a large military has led all the coastal Southeast Asian nations—with the exception of Singapore—to conclude that they are inadequately equipped to protect their interests in the South China Sea.

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