Why is control of the South China Sea so important?

South China Sea accounts for at least a third of the global maritime trade. While huge oil and natural gas reserves are said to lie beneath its seabed, it is also a fishing ground crucial for food security.

Why should China own the South China Sea?

China wants to increase its dominance in the South China Sea because it is a major trade conduit where one-third of the world’s shipping occurs. The sea is also rich in seafood and oil reserves.

What would happen if China controls the South China Sea?

The South China Sea sees a heavy percentage of world trade that passes through Malacca Strait a part of the South China Sea. India’s 55 \% of trade passes through the Strait of Malacca which opens into the South China Sea. If China controls the region, it will upset the global trade practices and countries like India will directly get affected.

How much trade passes through the South China Sea each year?

An estimated US$3. 37 trillion worth of global trade passes through the South China Sea annually, which accounts for a third of the global maritime trade. 80 percent of China´s energy imports and 39.5 percent of China´s total trade passes through the South China Sea.

What does China really want from Southeast Asia?

Its actual behavior says what it wants. It wants to control the South China Sea. Obviously that body of water and its land features are not coterminous with Southeast Asia, nor with East Asia, Asia, Eurasia, or the Asia-Pacific, let alone the world.

Will Australian ships in South China Sea be tracked by China?

“You can absolutely be sure that any time Australian ships are in the South China Sea, they will be tracked by the Chinese,” he told Radio National on Thursday. “I don’t think confrontation is the right word, but they will be hailed, they’ll be asked what they are doing there and [asked] to explain themselves.”