Geography & Ecology
This body of water is home to coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves, supporting over 3.7 million livelihoods
What is the South China Sea
This 1982 international agreement defines territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)
What is UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)
These military developments have raised alarms in the South China Sea.
What is militarization or military base construction
These protected zones could help preserve marine biodiversity in the region
What are Regional Marine Protected Areas
This Chinese leader emphasized maritime power and sovereignty, especially in the South China Sea, during the early 21st century
Who is Xi Jinping
Since the 1950s, fish stocks in the South China Sea have declined by this percentage
What is 95%
The EEZ defined by UNCLOS extends this many nautical miles from the coastline.
What is 200 nautical miles
This policy causes ASEAN claimants to avoid confronting China
What is the One China Policy
This type of diplomacy focuses on solving shared marine issues without confrontation
What is environmental diplomacy
In 1947, this Chinese government's cartographers created the original version of the Nine-Dash Line.
What is the Republic of China (ROC)
Over 6,200 acres of these marine ecosystems have been destroyed due to land reclamation
What are coral reefs
China's controversial maritime boundary that exceeds UNCLOS limits
What is the Nine-Dash Line
Countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, and this one are involved in territorial disputes.
What is Taiwan
Name one technological tool used for marine monitoring
What is satellite monitoring
As leader of the Republic of China, this man oversaw early Chinese claims to the Spratly Islands before fleeing to Taiwan.
Who is Chiang Kai-shek
This activity damaged 16,000 acres of reefs and is one of the major environmental threats
What is giant clam harvesting
The legal conflict arises because this country’s claims ignore established international maritime law.
What is China
China justifies its claims using this historical rationale
What is historical usage or maps showing historical presence
These grassroots actors can play a role in promoting conservation. ( give an example)
What are local activists or civil society
This Taiwanese president pushed for increased military presence and environmental conservation on Itu Aba (Taiping Island)
Who is Ma Ying-jeou
Name two forms of pollution affecting the South China Sea
What are plastic waste and oil spills
This island, claimed by Taiwan, is one of the largest in the Spratlys
What is Itu Aba (Taiping Island)
These overlapping claims contribute to regional instability
What are overlapping EEZs and sovereignty claims
Military de-escalation efforts include preventing this kind of activity
What is new military construction or militarization
This early 20th-century Chinese scholar and geographer helped lay the intellectual groundwork for China’s maritime claims
Who is Hu Jinjie