IS24 GROUP ASSIGNMENTS – Section 1

Batch 1: SCS Claimants (16 March 2019)

Philippines - Tuazon, Bayona De Guia

Malaysia - Canlapan, Bantoy, Jimenez
Brunei - Dacara, Mailed, Longalong
Viet Nam - Reyes, Rous, Tobias
China (1) - Chavaria, Sobremonte, Fuerte

Batch 2: Regional Powers and Other Actors (23 March 2019)

China (2) - Duque, Gapay, Santos

Russia - Domingo, Postrado, Torreon
Japan - Morales, Diaz, Flores
Australia - Syjongtian, Lacsam, Castillo
India - Videna, Perez, Medina
United States- Murillo, Lorbes, Diamzon, Corpus
ASEAN - Factor, Dy, Fronda

Key Questions:

Batch 1:

1. Status of claim (which islands are occupied, and what is the current status of
occupation)
2. History and basis of claim (i.e. key events leading to the country’s claim; is the
claim based on legal title, history, effective occupation, etc.)
3. Critical incidents involving the claimant (e.g. skirmish, incident at sea, key
diplomatic breakthroughs or agreements)
4. Efforts undertaken by the claimant to protect and advance the claim

Batch 2:
1. Interest of the regional power in the South China Sea and how it impacts on their
regional and/or global interest, agenda and/or standing.
2. Actions undertaken by the regional power to strengthen its position vis-à-vis the
South China Sea issue (e.g. diplomatic tools, alliances, use of military
instruments, economic strategies, etc)

Some Concepts and Issues to Discuss (but not limited to these)

Philippines - West Philippine Sea, Presidential Decree 1596, Tomas Cloma,

Scarborough Shoal, Pag-Asa Island, BRP Sierra Madre, BRP
Gregorio del Pilar, Reed Bank, Ayungin Shoal, Mischief Reef, Joint
Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU), South China Sea Arbitration
Viet Nam - Paracel Islands, Battle of Johnson Reef, Battle of Paracel Islands,
Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig (HYSY 981)

China (1) - Itu Aba, nine-dash line, Battle of Johnson Reef, Battle of Paracel
Islands, artificial islands

China (2) - first island chain, second island chain, Liaoning, salami-slicing
strategy, cabbage strategy, Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese
Dream, Malacca Dilemma, air defense identification zone (ADIZ)

United States- Anti-Access and Area Denial (A2/AD), Freedom of Navigation

Operations (FONOPs), rebalancing to Asia, Free and Open Indo-
Pacific Strategy (FOIPS), Southeast Asia Maritime Security
Initiative

Japan - Article IX of Japanese Constitution, Japan’s proactive contribution

to peace and stability, strategic partnership

Australia - Quad, Indo-Pacific

India - Act East Policy, Look East Policy, string of pearls theory, Malabar
Exercises

Russia - Russian Far East vis-à-vis the South China Sea, Russia’s
engagement with Asia Pacific (or Indo-Pacific region), Russia’s gas
projects and military sales in the region

ASEAN - Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea

(DOC-SCS), Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC),
‘Phnom Penh debacle’ in ASEAN in 2012