Maritime surveillance is an important requirement for most countries with interests in the South China Sea. The ongoing geopolitical situation in the region and as a whole, means that most nations need to keep an eye on their neighbours, particularly the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The South China Sea occupies a central position regarding the Indo-Pacific Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) connecting Europe, the Middle East and south Asia to south-east Asia and North America. It needs to monitored around the clock by Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPAs). Ristian Superiyanto, associate research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, told the author in November 2014: “These SLOCs are underpinning the economic attractions of the region where there is a significant amount of trade carried out (on the high seas) and by ship. The shipping density centres around the South China Sea. Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) are also being challenged and economic sovereignties are being ignored by the PRC where there are several claimants to a number of areas of the South China Sea.” This stretch of water is home to a number of maritime and territorial disputes, mainly focused on the Spratly and Paracel archipelagos parts, or all, of which are claimed by Brunei-Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines, the PRC, the Republic of China and Vietnam.
The Main Threat
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