Dangerous Grounds: Territorial Disputes in the Asia Pacific

Abstract

This study examines five countries with overlapping claims to territories in the Asia Pacific. Domestic, Regional, and National Security are based in a country’s ability to effectively occupy these territories. The occupation extends a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone and provides the country with territorial ownership, access to maritime resources, and fishing rights. Neoliberal trade theory suggests that as these countries become more interdependent the number of conflicts over disputed territory will decrease. The high level of economic interdependence will influence political and foreign policy decisions such as territorial disputes. Neorealist theory suggests that economic interdependence will not impact the number of conflicts over disputed territory. Using the Diaoyu/Senkaku, Paracel, and Spratly Island disputes as case studies, the data suggest that territorial disputes within the East and South China Sea do not impact trade/economic interdependence and that the two phenomena operate independently of one another. Thus, the data confirms the neorealist hypothesis.