By Darshana M. Baruah
The Second Thomas Shoal is the new flashpoint in the South China Sea. Solving it is vital for the region and the world.
Last month China prevented two Philippine boats from reaching the Second Thomas Shoal, claiming that Manila was trying to build structures on the reef in an attempt to fortify its claim. In 1999, the Philippine navy ship BRP Sierra Madre - a former U.S. tank landing vessel – ran aground the shoal and has been since stationed there ever since with a handful of Filipino marines to enforce the Philippines’ claim to the reef. The shoal lies within Manila’s 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) but is also claimed by Beijing. The presence of the Sierra Madre and the soldiers aboard is part of Manila’s larger strategy in the South China Sea to protect its contested maritime territories.
While the Scarborough Shoal incident drew international attention in 2012, the Second Thomas Shoal is the new flashpoint in the South China Sea (SCS). The region is becoming a maritime hotspot with Beijing engaging in territorial disputes with four ASEAN nations. Beijing claims most of the sea as its territory with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also having overlapping claims in the area. China is the largest party and has been engaged in growing provocations, which are being vehemently opposed by the Philippines and Vietnam – who are seeking the presence of external actors to counter Beijing.
Read the full story at The Diplomat