US-CHINA RIVALRY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA REGION: A STUDY ON THE SOUTH CHINA SEA CASE

• Published in: Journal of Liberty and International Affairs (Bitola) 2023-03, Vol.9 (1), p.336-351
• Main Authors: Vo, Hung, Nguyen, Binh, Tran, Hiep, Bui, Thao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Asylum, Refugees, Migration as Policy-fields; China; Comparative analysis; Comparative politics; Developing nations; Diplomacy; Economic policy; Environmental and Energy policy; Fiscal Politics / Budgeting; Geopolitics; Governance; Government/Political systems; History and theory of political science; Inter-Ethnic Relations; International Law; International relations; International relations-US; International relations/trade; Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence; Maritime Law; Military policy; Peace and Conflict Studies; Political behavior; Political economy; Political psychology; Political Sciences; Political Theory; Politics; Politics / Political Sciences; Politics and communication; Politics and Identity; Politics and law; Politics and religion; Politics and society; Politics of History/Memory; Public Law; Regions; Research methodology; Rivalry; Security and defense; Soft power; South China Sea; Southeast Asia; Welfare systems
• ISSN: 1857-9760; 1857-9760
• DOI: 10.47305/JLIA2391342v

Southeast Asia is one of the places where fierce rivalry is taking place between the two leading powers in the world today - the US and China. The US-China rivalry in this region takes place in key fields, from politics - diplomacy, economy, security - defense to “soft power”, the most prominent of which is the South China Sea issue. This article analyzes the strategic importance of the South China Sea in the policy of the US and China, the competition between the US and China in Southeast Asia in general, and the South China Sea in particular. To achieve this goal, the authors use research methods in international relations to analyze the main issues of the study. In addition to reviewing previous scholarly research and reviews, the authors use a comparative approach to assess the interactions between theory and data. The authors believe the data is important for accurately assessing the strategic competition between the US and China in Southeast Asia and the South China Sea. The rise of China in the early years of the XXI century strongly influenced the adjustment of the US policy in Southeast Asia and the powerful US-China rivalry in this region and the South China Sea. This rivalry is becoming increasingly complicated, and geopolitical conflicts between major powers are possible in the following years.