Discussing On The Strategy Of Islands And Reefs And Ocean Territory In The South China Sea

The South China Sea（SCS）is a marginal sea,located southward of mainland China,with abundant natural resources and great strategical value,which became an important marine roadway and military barrier for China’s coastal defense.With the rise of China’s maritime power strategy in 2012,the SCS has become an international and regional hotspot.However,Vietnam,Philippines,Malaysia and other countries have occupied most islands and reefs in the SCS,and unilaterally demarcated the ownership of territorial waters and exclusive economic zones,which infringed the rights and the interests of China.Extraregional countries such as the United States,Australia and Japan etc have intervened in the SCS issue in various ways,prolonging and complicating the regional disputes.Under these circumstances,it is imperative for China to formulate strategies for solving the disputes of the SCS,and to safeguard its national maritime rights and interests.This study was conducted as follows:（1）Information was collected to obtain a clear view of the distribution and current ownership of islands and reefs in the SCS,as well as the historical data related to the SCS and formation of the boundary line.We argue here that the boundary line of the SCS should not be called as a "dashed line",its delineation may based on submarine topography.（2）To evaluate the potential military value of each island and reef in our study area,we selected 13 islands and reefs which are controlled by China,A numerical model was made based on four factors:size of reef flat,orientation and length of airport,capacity of harbor and geographical conditions.Data were quantified before calculation,and potential military value was analysed by Analytic Hierarchy Process.（3）The analysis was based on the current regional disputes in the South China Sea,the overall strategic situation of China,and Deng Xiaoping’s South China Sea viewpoints.Steps toward solving the multiple challenges ahead are suggested on the basis of our analysis.The strategic of islands and reefs and ocean territory in the South China Sea is to safeguard the rights and interests of China’s ocean territory.Two potential strategic stages are proposed.The first step is to put aside disputes and jointly develop for the near future.The second step is to recover the islands and reefs for long-pried object.The author suggests that we should:1)adhere to sovereignty and actively carry out diplomcy.We should strengthenthe study of the sovereignty of ocean territory in the SCS,continue to assert that ocean territory in the South China Sea belongs to China,and actively carry out diplomatic activities to maintain the peace in the South China Sea.（2）strengthen military infrastructure on the islands and reefs.We should fill the reefs and complete military construction on the islands and reefs actually controlled by China according to their potential military value.These efforts should be focused on the Nansha Islands.Appropriate civil infrastructure is also needed to enhance the control of these islands.China must have a plan to gradually control other uninhabited islands and reefs.（3）accelerate the development and utilization of resources.Put aside disputs,mainly develop the area controlled by China and formulate development and utilization plans to reduce China’s resource losses in the South China Sea.