On Asian Pacific SLOC Security:

The China Factor (A Reaction)

I.

Introduction
With bodies of water comprising 75% of the planet, sea lines of communication

(SLOC), or the linkages created through seas, can be the be-all and end-all of a
countrys life. It might be a little exaggerated, but it can hold a lot of truth into it.
Since a country cannot depend solely on its own resources, it has to establish
linkages to other countries. And automatically, one should cross the seas to reach
another. The Filipino idiom, kahit ang dagat ay tatawirin (even seas will be crossed)
takes on a literal meaning now, in which a country has to cross boundaries of the seas
in order to get through another country, engage in trade of vital resources and produce
to survive.
The Working Paper, Asian Pacific SLOC Security: The China Factor,talks about
how very vital the sea lines of communication is to any economy. The author, Professor
Ji Guoxing, speaks from an insiders point of view, being a Chinese national himself.

II.

Body
Between 90-95% of international merchandise trade by volume happens on the

oceans. An effective, efficient, and uninterrupted shipping system defines a progressive

economy, thus turning it into a global economy. For the past two to three decades,
SLOC security is now prioritized in policy making and strategic thinking of countries.
As with any other aspect of economic growth, instabilities and insecurities arise.
In this case, a number of SLOC issues related to China were addressed in the paper,

namely, piracy, navigational regime, pursuit of South China Sea territories, situationers
in East China Sea and Taiwan Strait, and regional SLOC Security cooperation and
Chinas initiatives.
Asia-Pacific countries are very dependent on oil and gas. As a big economy,
China is much dependent on its SLOC, coming from being self-reliant for a long time.
China consumes about 18% of oil in their total energy consumption. Likewise, it is the
second largest oil importer in 2013, and projected to be the largest in 2014. This is why
China seeks to keep, maintain, sustain, and improve their economic and political
bilateral relations, making them one of the top SLOC players in Asia-Pacific.
Early last year, the Philippines filed a Notification and Statement of Claim at the
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), seeking to invalidate Chinas ninedash line which encompasses virtually the entire South China Sea. As photos of this
nine-dash line claim, South China Sea is dissociated from the country.
Why is South China Seas SLOC very important and often highlighted? Apart
from territorial claims, especially of Spratlys, this route constitutes the essential and
shortest routes linking the western Pacific with the Indian Ocean. Indeed SLOCs are a
make or break for any nation and to the world.

III.

Conclusion
Hearing it from an academician from a country which is considered a threat to

other nations, it is refreshing to hear from Professor Ji, explaining to us what Chinas
historical beginnings are. The statement, however, do not represent the entire Chinese
nations opinion, as the following quote is merely from Professor Jis words:
One has to understand Chinas mentality: on the one hand, China was for a long
time, a powerful country with an old civilisation, which other countries could not

compare with. The Middle Kingdom concept to some extent has still been in many
Chinese minds. On the other hand, China was invaded and was plunged into a semicolonial country by foreign powers for more than one hundred years in contemporary
history. China felt it was bullied and its national dignity was injured. Thus China today is
very sensitive over matters of national sovereignty, unity and dignity, and wants to have
its due rights and status respected or restored in international arenas.
This, however, in my opinion, is not revenge from China, but, like any other
country, just an aspect of survival. Its just that China has been firm and stern in
implementing its policies, and when instability arises, they react, instead of proact.
In the same manner, the Philippines should maintain its positive SLOC to
neighboring countries. Just recently, bilateral relations with Vietnam have been fortified
and strengthened, coming from a rather cold treatment that can be traced back from
the Cold War. Their alliance is seen as perfect, aimed not to contain China, but rather,
constrain sharp edges. It is good to note that these two countries, though both rivals in
South China Sea territories, are willing to work together, even aspiring to draw Malaysia
closer to the team, in order to create a similar approach to China, and avoid further
squabbles.

REFERENCES:
Hu, Nien-Tsu and Ted McDorman. Maritime Issues in the South China Sea: Troubled
Waters Or A Sea of Opportunity. Routledge, 2013.
China Overview. US Energy Information Administration. Last update February 2014.
http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=ch
Heydarian, Javad. Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea: A burgeoning
Alliance. May 2014. Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-javadheydarian/philippines-and-vietnam-i_b_5392321.html
Gupta, Sourabh. The whole nine dashes and why the Philippines arbitration case
against China is a bad idea. East Asia Forum. 2013.
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2013/07/28/the-whole-nine-dashes-and-why-thephilippines-arbitration-case-against-china-is-a-bad-idea/