Geography and Regional Planning

Geography and Regional Planning

Explaining China's geostrategic perception to the surrounding area (case study: South China Sea)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
alireza mehrabi 1
ghasem abbasianfard 2
1 Associate Professor, Department of Political Geography, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 PhD student in Political Geography, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jgeoq.2024.374710.3965
Abstract
China is considered as a powerful country in the international system and an active member in changing international scenarios. On the other hand, this country, as an active actor in the water area of East Asia, is seeking to stabilize its strategic position in providing regional security in the water and sea area, relying on its own capabilities. Focusing on the South China Sea and the presence of energy resources, this water area has a special geostrategic position that can be of interest to other world powers. The South China Sea is a semi-enclosed sea between the countries of China (Taiwan), Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. The waters of this closed sea have always been the source of disputes for the neighboring countries. The current research is based on the analysis of the factors affecting China's geostrategic perception in the South China Sea.The result of the present research indicates that due to the importance and important geostrategic and geoeconomic position of the South China Sea and the historical competition and conflict between different countries, regional conditions and developments are progressing in a way that leads to a multilateralism approach and an emphasis on peripheral diplomacy And by removing the perception of threat from China, it provides the ground for the realization of regional stability with the approach of economic interaction and preventing the emergence of geopolitical challenges in the South China Sea.
Keywords
Geostrategic"
South China Sea"
Multilateralism"
"
Peripheral diplomacy"
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