SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE

Overview
Along with the North Korean Nuclear Crisis, the South China Sea Dispute is
another major security issue facing the Asia-Pacific Region. Several countries lay claim
to islands in the South China Sea, leading to a heated diplomatic confrontation with
Beijing over the past few years.
Belligerents
China
Philippines
Vietnam
Brunei
Malaysia
Key Points
China is currently claiming territorial sovereignty over the entirety of the
South China Sea, leading to a standing territorial dispute with other countries in the Asia-
Pacific. It has clashed with Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia as it attempts
to take absolute control over the disputed waters. Beijing bases its claims solely on
historical grounds, while the other countries lay claim to parts of the waters based on their
Exclusive Economic Zones as defined by international law. This is because Beijing has
so far failed to present any legal grounds for its claims to the entirety of the South China
Sea, including the parts outside its exclusive economic zone.
The countries affected by China’s claims are all ASEAN member states.
However, some ASEAN members like Cambodia and Laos are aligned with China,
ensuring that there is a consistent failure by ASEAN to make a unified stance
regarding the territorial disputes. The alignment of some ASEAN members with China
has made the conflict more complex.
Despite Chinese aggression, the affected Southeast Asian states are unable to
bring the issue at the forefront of ASEAN meetings so as not to risk breaking apart ASEAN
unity. Throughout the Aquino administration from 2010 to 2016, the Philippines has
been at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to stop Beijing’s encroachment over the
territorial waters. The Philippines filed a case at The Hague, and in 2016, the arbitral
tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines, declaring that the disputed territories in
the West Philippine Sea belong to Manila. However, regional efforts to stop Beijing
suffered a blow with the election of Rodrigo Duterte to the presidency in the Philippines.
The Duterte administration refused to assert the Philippine victory at The
Hague, and has instead warmed up to China. Furthermore, the Duterte administration
refused to bring up at the recent ASEAN Summit the tribunal victory, despite backing from
the United States and other countries which were present in the summit. The Philippines
is now attempting a more diplomatic and friendly approach towards Beijing.

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QATAR GULF CRISIS
Overview
The small Gulf nation has been embattled with a diplomatic crisis since mid-2017.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Doha
amid allegations of Qatari support for terrorism.
Belligerents
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
Egypt
Key Points
Since he took power in 1995, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani believed Qatar could find
security only by transforming itself from a Saudi appendage to a rival of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia withdrew its ambassador to Doha from 2002 to 2008 to try to pressure
Qatar to curb its individualistic tendencies. This approach broadly failed. The Arab
Spring left a power vacuum which both Saudi Arabia and Qatar sought to fill, with Qatar
being supportive of the revolutionary wave and Saudi Arabia opposing it; since both states
are allies of the United States, they avoid direct conflict with one another.
The 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis began when several countries abruptly cut off
diplomatic relations with Qatar in June 2017. These countries included Saudi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt. The severing of relations included withdrawing
ambassadors, and imposing trade and travel bans. Between 5 and 6 June 2017, Saudi
Arabia, the UAE, Yemen, Egypt, the Maldives, and Bahrain all separately
announced that they were cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar; among these Bahrain
was the first to announce the severing of ties at 02:50 GMT in the early morning of 5 June.
The crisis is an escalation of the Qatar–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict. The Saudi-
led coalition cited Qatar's alleged support for terrorism as the main reason for their
actions, insisting Qatar has violated a 2014 agreement with members of the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC). Saudi Arabia and other countries have criticized Al Jazeera
and Qatar's relations with Iran. Qatar claims that it has assisted the United States in the
War on Terror and the ongoing military intervention against ISIL.
On 27 July 2017, the Qatari foreign minister Al Thani told reporters that Egypt,
Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were showing "stubbornness" and had
not taken any steps to solve the crisis. Al Thani added that the Security Council, the
General Assembly and "all the United Nations mechanisms" could play a role in resolving
the situation. On 24 August 2017, Qatar announced that they would restore full
diplomatic relations with Iran.

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So, what now?
- The UAE and SA will want to overthrow the regime in Qatar.
- They just want Qatar to commit to what’s been agreed on

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