“South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia,” as written by Bill Hayton, has got everything right, except, the fluid nature of the issue.
South China Sea is often seen through the prism of a conflict, or, even a potential war involving China and the United States. But China, time and again, has proposed joint development too; a practice not alien to the manner by which Thailand and Malaysia jointly exploited the oil in the Gulf of Thailand. Thus, while Bill Hayton has written a historically solid, and well-grounded book, he did not delve very deeply into the issue of “what if”? To do so, would be counter-factual. History deals with facts, not what ifs.
But South China Sea is a fluid issue, as it is China’s very own territorial integrity. Over the centuries, dynasties have come and gone. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has barely governed China for close to a century. While the tentacles of its power are pervasive, no one knows if the CCP can be an indelible feature in China; which in turn begets the fluid nature of South China Sea. This is an excellent book, and showcases an excellent mastery of the historical sources, contemporary research and theories of international relations.