Competing claims in the South China Sea have fueled tensions between China and several other countries in the region for decades.
• Also read: A risky game of cat and mouse in the South China Sea
The latest row erupted on August 5 when Chinese coast guards blocked a Filipino resupply mission from a remote outpost in disputed waters and targeted it with a water cannon.
These incidents fuel fears that a miscalculation or an accident could trigger a military conflict between neighboring countries that could also affect the United States.
AFP investigates territorial disputes in these waters.
Where is it located?
The South China Sea covers more than three million square kilometers and is surrounded by China, Taiwan, the Philippines, the island of Borneo and mainland Southeast Asia.
At the heart of the dispute is the question of ownership of the hundreds of originally uninhabited islands, atolls and reefs that dot this seascape.
The largest islands are in two archipelagos: the Paracels and the Spratleys. Scarborough Atoll is a small rocky outcrop to the east.
For what ?
The South China Sea is the most important maritime link between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, giving it tremendous commercial and strategic value.
Its sea lanes connect East Asia to Europe and the Middle East, transporting trillions of dollars worth of goods every year.
Huge deposits of untapped oil and gas are also said to lie on its seabed, although estimates of the amount vary widely.
It is also home to some of the world’s largest coral reefs and important fish resources.
Who claims what?
At the heart of the dispute is the question of ownership of the hundreds of islands, atolls and reefs.
China and the island of Taiwan both claim almost the entire sea space. In addition, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each have overlapping interests in parts of this sea space.
Beijing’s claims are largely based on Chinese maps from the 1940s and are engraved with a broken nine-dash line on official maps.
These claimed areas approach the shores of other countries and include the Spratleys and Paracels.
In the Spratleys, China owns at least seven islands, Vietnam controls 21 islets and reefs, and the Philippines has outposts on nine islands and reefs.
Taiwan owns the Spratleys’ largest constituent territory, Itu Aba, and Malaysia controls five of them.
China also controls Scarborough Atoll, a rich fishing area 230 kilometers off the Philippine island of Luzon that was acquired from Manila in 2012.
Which strategies?
For several years, rival powers have been expanding and building on these tiny reefs and islands to bolster their claims.
China’s land reclamation program has been particularly aggressive. Over the past decade it has ripped away thousands of acres of reef to create militarized islands with airstrips, ports and radar systems.
China also deploys hundreds of Coast Guards in these strategic areas, often more than a thousand kilometers from its borders, to patrol specific positions and conduct security missions.
What conflicts?
Two armed conflicts between China and Vietnam that left more than 130 Vietnamese soldiers dead shook the region.
In 1974, Beijing took control of the Paracels after clashes with the South Vietnamese Navy.
In 1988, a naval battle broke out between Vietnam and China in the Spratleys.
Relations between China and the Philippines have deteriorated over disputes over these waters, but the high-seas incidents have not yet resulted in a military conflict.
Where are the diplomatic efforts?
The ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China adopted a non-binding “Declaration on Conduct of the Parties” in 2002 to counteract hostile actions.
All parties agree not to use threats or violence to enforce their claims.
Since then, negotiations aimed at turning this declaration into a legally binding code have failed.
Manila will host a new round of negotiations this week.
In 2013, the Philippines initiated international arbitration proceedings against China.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in Manila’s favour, saying China’s “nine-dash line” has no legal basis.
Beijing refused to take part in the trial and ignored the verdict.