Author(s): Florin DIACONU
Publication name: Romanian Intelligence Studies Review
Publisher name: Mihai Viteazul National Intelligence Academy
Publication type: Journal article
Publication date: June 30, 2016
Pagination:
Issue/ Volume: 15/2016
DOI:
Abstract
The text focuses the attention on some major aspects of the ongoing
strategically significant events and trends in the East China Sea and South
China Sea (trends and events extensively covered by a lot of OSINT data), and
evaluates the increasing tensions in these regions of the Pacific Ocean in a way
which is deliberately taking into account what history is massively and freely
teaching us. As far as the author is concerned, the more and more obvious and
ambitious Chinese plans and actions in both seas are a direct and almost
unavoidable consequence of a quick and massive evolution (or change) of the
power status of China. At this very moment, Beijing is deliberately attempting to
reach a more globally influential power status – that of world power, and in
such a situation the attention paid by China to the Word Ocean and to the
strategically significant routes leading to the open seas is larger than ever
before in Modern Times. In a way or another, Chinese actions are nothing else
but a renewed version of some well-known episodes in world history – those
which have previously led other actors of the international arena to a more
globally influential power status, by means of developing naval power and of
gaining more free access to the World Ocean. In such a context, the United
States is also deliberately trying to protect, according to a strategically
legitimate, strong and long national tradition, the complete freedom of
navigation, and the stability of the regional balance of power in both seas. Quite
clearly, the strategic interests of both China and the U.S. are, in both seas we are
speaking about, vastly different ones, and on a well defined collision course.
Keywords: power status, world power, sea power, World Ocean,
strategic confrontation, China, the United States, the Pacific Ocean, regional
balance of power, strategically significant routes, freedom of navigation, OSINT
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