Security Issues Facing US with China’s Expansion in the South China Sea

CHINA’s EXPANSION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
Student’s Name
Class
Date
China’s expansion in the South China Sea
China's expansion in the South China Sea poses serious security threats to the USA. Notably, China's economic influence and military superiority, especially its great maritime power, has inspired and enabled it to continue encroaching on the territories of other countries in its Southern Sea. These countries include Kuwait and the exclusive economic zones EEZs Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam (Burgess 2020, 112). This massive expansion threatens the USA's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations in the region. Besides, China's maritime growth is producing tense conditions in the South China Sea, making it a possible flashpoint for international conflict.
In addition to national and international security issues, China's advance in the South China Sea represents a massive setback for the USA's national objectives in advancing economic prosperity, democratic ideals, and a secure and stable international order (Stolberg n.d., 14). Therefore, since a direct war with China would not be effective and could result in negative foreign policy implications, there is a need for a multi-faceted approach to stop China's expansion in the region. Generally, due to the imminent threat to national security, and hindrance to the democratic and economic national interests, a long-lasting solution to China's expansion in the South China Sea necessitates a multidimensional approach. Such approaches include diplomacy, economic and military support, and a targeted denial strategy to avoid negative foreign policy implications.
China's encroachment in its Southern Sea territories threatens national and international security. According to Burgess (2020, 113), the encroachment of China on the 200-mile exceptional economic regions (EEZs) of Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, among other countries in the South China Sea region, is a serious security threat for the United States. The Chinese maritime conquest in the special naval zones significantly hinders the country's military intelligence, exclusive security surveillance, and reconnaissance operations. As a result, Wood (2019, 5) notes that although China's pursuit of significantly larger security in the region is, to a lesser extent, understandable to Washington policymakers, its island-building campaign and the unpredictability of the states surrounding the South China region heighten tension in the area. On the other hand, China has been protesting against the United States Freedom of navigation (USFON) and over-flight operations around the exclusive economic zones of the Spratly and Parcel Islands.
Furthermore, China's construction of artificial islands and positioning of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and Air Force military units and missiles in the Spratly and Parcel Islands has increased the region's anti-access capabilities. Thus, posing a danger to the United States and its adversaries in the South China Sea. Therefore, the Chinese maritime expansion activities in the EEZs seriously threaten national and international security.
Besides, China's expansion of the South China Sea region hinders the country's democratic and economic interests. According to Wood (2019, 5), Chinese maritime expansionist actions allow it to potentially intervene in oil and gas exploration in the Island nations. Moreover, due to the naval expansion efforts, the South China Sea region is currently a global hotspot for potential conflicts. Furthermore, China's advance into the Southeast China Sea region is a significant challenge to the national interests of fostering economic prosperity and liberal values and guaranteeing a peaceful and secure international order. (Stolberg n.d., 14). Notably, the USA's national interest in ensuring economic well-being entails promoting national and international trade and investment, including protecting the country's economic interests in foreign countries.
On the other hand, the national interest in promoting democratic values is not limited to fostering domestic processes and values but also promoting democracy and human rights globally. Consequently, the USA's pursuit of a stable and secure world order requires establishing a peaceful and harmonious international environment where global disputes between countries can be solved amicably without war. Generally, China's expansion in the Southeast China Sea region prevents the USA from attaining its national economic and democratic goals.
As a result, from an international relations perspective, the USA should employ a targeted denial approach instead of direct military interventions to avoid negative foreign policy implications. According to Konishi (2018, 1), China's solid marine capacities and increased strategic presence in the South China Sea region pose a distinctive and difficult challenge to the federal government and legislators. Despite the security challenges and the rising strategic competition between the two countries, the war would not be a viable solution to ending China's expansion activities in EEZs.
In particular, it would not be wise to react militarily because China is not yet an adversary to the United States and has to ensure that its action limits casualties as much as possible to maintain international support. Moreover, China has been cautious not to escalate the disputes into a superpower status quo struggle that could lead to war with the USA. Hence, it would be prudent for the federal government to employ targeted denial, an alternative and more assertive approach that selectively denies strategic moves for China (Burgess 2020, 128). In particular, the federal government has been providing security assistance and enhanced cooperation with Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam and holding multiple joint pieces of training with the countries' forces. However, China has continued to advance...