1. China Brief, Energy Concerns and China's Unresolved Territorial Disputes
- Author:
- Matthew Oresman, Drew Thompson, John C.k. Daly, and Harvey Stockwin
- Publication Date:
- 12-2004
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Jamestown Foundation
- Abstract:
- While much of the world is fixated on China's booming economic growth and its ravenous appetite for energy, untidy diplomatic loose ends in the form of territorial disputes with neighbors have many of the countries bordering the Asian giant nervous. Though Beijing's claims over Taiwan remain the focus of world attention, China is embroiled in unresolved territorial maritime and land issues with no less than thirteen of its neighbors. Given that China's military capability is growing apace with its economy, the potential for military conflict over the disputed regions is similarly on the rise. While China up to now has attempted to address these issues diplomatically, the fact that many of the unresolved border disputes involve potential energy reserves might prompt China to use military force to resolve issues of strategic economic interest.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- China, Israel, Taiwan, Beijing, and Asia