and provides about ten percent of the worlds catch. by Jonathan Masters and Will Merrow Conflicts have in recent decades arisen over them because of perceived national rights. According to its 2011 annual report, CNOOC produced an average of 193,000 barrels per day in the South China Sea for that year. The worst but least likely scenario is war. January 31, 2022, How Tobacco Laws Could Help Close the Racial Gap on Cancer, Interactive Three years ago an arbitration tribunal issued a decision finding that Chinas maritime claims in the South China Sea are inconsistent with the Law of the Sea Convention. China and the US are locked in a seminal long-term struggle for dominance in Asia and the South China Sea. The attempted arrest of the poachers led to a two-month standoff between the two countries. It said America "exaggerates the situation in the region and attempts to sow discord between China and other littoral countries. The South China Sea's Environmental Crisis. Along the eastern side of the basin, the continental shelf falls off sharply near the Philippine islands of Luzon and Palawan and forms the Palawan Trough near the latter island. Renewing America, Backgrounder Annual Lecture on China. The International Crisis Group provides an in-depth report on the South China Sea and its regional responses, examining what the conflicts mean for each country involved, and what risks and factors are at play for all. Unfortunately, some countries fail to comply with the existing international law. China was the first country to discover, name, explore and exploit the resources of the South China Sea Islands and the first to continuously exercise sovereign powers over them," the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in December 2014. The South China Sea is an area that has abundant natural resources, especially energy resources. 1 / 15. The US has previously accused China of militarising the South China Sea (file photo), Significant risks with seemingly insignificant islands. Bordering states & territories (clockwise from north): the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia . All the countries bordering directly on this sea - China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei - have claimed some or all of the tiny, but strategically located, Spratly Islets and some or all of the maritime space and its resources. Beijing claims an area known as the "nine-dash line" and has backed its claim with island-building and patrols, expanding its military presence there, although it insists its intentions are peaceful. This would be equivalent to the amount of natural gas in Qatar, which sits on the worlds third largest reserves. In 2006, Chevron signed a deal with Malaysian oil company Petronas to carry out exploration of disputed waters in the South China Sea, in an area that both Vietnam and China thought they had sovereignty over. Vietnam and Malaysia have led regional military buildups and increased arms trade with countries like Russia and India, while the Philippines doubled its defense budget in 2011 and pledged five-year joint military exercises with the United States. And the stakes in the region are incredibly high. Weather in the sea is tropical and largely controlled by monsoons. The Chinese side is firmly opposed to it.". Experts argue that the mutual benefits [PDF] from regional economic integration provide an extremely compelling incentive for cooperation on resources, conservation, and security movements, according to a Harvard Quarterly paper. Annual Lecture on China: Frayed RelationsThe United States and China, Virtual Event Obviously that body of water and its land features are not coterminous with Southeast Asia, nor with East . In a statement on Monday, Mr Pompeo denounced China's claims on the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, saying Beijing had "no legal grounds to unilaterally impose its will on the region". with Jeremi Suri Read about our approach to external linking. To assert its sovereignty over the area, the country has built more artificial islands in the past year than the neighbouring countries have built between them over the last four decades. It was a fruitless exercise as neither side was able to extract any oil in the process. It is hypothetically possible therefore, that total gas resources (as opposed to proved reserves) in the South China Sea would be almost 900 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). What is known is most often contained in reports and workshop and conference documents that are not available to the wider scientific community. . Philippine exports of fisheries products to China and the Hong Kong SAR have grown rapidly over the past five years, from $49 million in 2009 to almost $129 million in 2013 - an average annual . Overfishing and destructive practices such as dynamite and cyanide fishing primarily contribute to this depletion. According to some estimates however, 40% of the stocks are collapsed or overexploited and 70% of the coral reefs are heavily depleted. There is a weak countercurrent on the eastern side of the sea. Consequently, anthropogenic impacts, such as over-exploitation of resources and pollution, are anticipated to be huge although, in reality, relatively little is known about them. The coastal fringes of the South China Sea are home to about 270 million people that have had some of the fastest developing and most vibrant economies on the globe. In such a complex environment, it is important to have well-established, recognizable rules of international law. Sign up to receive ShareAmerica updates. Dock workers use cranes to off-load frozen tuna from a Chinese-owned cargo vessel at the General Santos Fish Port, in the Philippines . Emerging energy markets in Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines are fighting China for control of the Spratly islands in the South China Sea. All of these claims have serious weaknesses under the principles of . This map is a work in progress, and many blocks have incomplete information. Chinas colossal infrastructure investments may usher in a new era of trade and growth for economies in Asia and beyond. The South China Sea is filled with fishing vessels; China alone sent 23,000 fishing boats in August of this year after the annual ban was lifted. Along the northwest side of the basin toward the mainland is a broad, shallow shelf as wide as 150 miles (240 km). China issued a licence to survey WAB-21 for oil in 1992, despite the block being so far from its shores. The South China Sea is the largest marginal sea of the western Pacific. The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea is an international treaty that sets out importantmaritime rules. ASEANs six-point statement in July made no reference to specific incidents, and only outlined an agreement to draft and implement a regional code of conduct, respect international law, and exercise self-restraint. The region also is the subject of more than a dozen overlapping and interconnected disputes over who is in charge of the various islands, rocks, shoals and reefs scattered throughout the South China Sea waters. In these seemingly insignificant island chains and reefs, there are growing risks of military conflict between the world's two most powerful countries. Incorporated into China's claim is the assertion that many of those subsequent events, including the French colonization of the habitable South China Sea in the Spratly and Paracel Islands, were illegitimate and do not negate China's historical claims (Catley, 1997). The US has long been critical of what it says is China's militarisation of the region and routinely angers Beijing with "freedom of navigation" missions. The United States calls this treaty the Law of the Sea Convention.. The deep portion, called the China Sea Basin, has a maximum depth of 16,457 feet (5,016 metres) and an abyssal plain with a mean depth of some 14,100 feet (4,300 metres). The sea is also a shipping route and has major fishing grounds. The South China Sea disputes continue to confuse and confound policymakers. The sea's major feature is a deep rhombus-shaped basin in the eastern part, with reef-studded shoals rising up steeply within the basin to the south (Reed and Tizard banks and the Nanshan Island area) and northwest (Paracel Islands and Macclesfield banks). It all needs to add up: what makes a credible corporate climate pledge? by Olivia Angelino, Thomas J. Bollyky, Elle Ruggiero and Isabella Turilli "Joint development" arrangements, whereby claimants agree to set aside territorial claims "without prejudice" for future resolution and jointly develop energy resources . The resources of the South China Sea, living and non-living, are rapidly being exploited by the people of the region, who are heavily concentrated along the coastline. China and the Philippines have sparred for decades over sovereignty and natural resources in the South China Sea, which led to a landmark arbitration case in 2016 won by Manila. "No approaching any more or you will pay full responsibility," a voice from a Chinese air force ground station told a U.S. Navy P-8 flying outside of . An EEZ spans outward 200 nautical miles from the coast of the each states territorial sea, and may include the continental shelf beyond the 200-mile limit. According to the World Bank, the South China Sea holds proven oil reserves of at least seven billion barrels and an estimated 900 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, which offer tremendous economic opportunity for smaller nations like Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and energy security for Chinas large, growing economy. ..Find out more, Innovating Out of the Climate Crisis: Carbon Emissions, As the private sector, federal regulators, and climate activists alike search for more tools to keep carbon out of the atmosphere, active carbon management approaches like carbon capture, utilization, and storage once seen as too costly, too risky, or both are gaining renewed attention. In August 2018, a BBC team flew over the disputed South China Sea islands in a US military plane. Goods worth $5.3 trillion pass through the South China Sea, which is also rich in marine life, contributing to 10 percent of the world's fish trade. The dizzying rise of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has created new challenges for governments and central banks. About 6 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of liquefied natural gas, or more than half of global LNG trade, passed through the South China Sea in 2011. Most abundant are the various species of tuna, mackerel, croaker, anchovy . Hostilities resurfaced in May 2014, when Chinese vessels fired water cannons at a Vietnamese flotilla that allegedly approached a large Chinese drilling rig near the Paracel Islands. The South China Sea first becomes a factor in Chinese policy when a cartographer working for the Republic of China (ROC) government created a map with a broken line encompassing almost the entire South China Sea. He condemned Beijing's "campaign of bullying to control" disputed waters that are potentially energy-rich. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 600 4th Street South Over the last 10 years, the conflict in the South China Sea has been constantly in the spotlight. This is found in layers, derived from large volcanic eruptions in the East Indies, notably the enormous eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, during which ash was transported through the entire area by both wind and currents. Ships carrying around $5tn worth of goods pass through the South China Sea every year and the US has warned China not to interfere with this trade. New York Times - Tribunal Rejects Beijing's Claims in South China Sea (text resource) 2. Omissions? This was despite protests . And with Farm Bill negotiations about to start in earnest, its important to explore how innovation in agricultureincluding advances in biotech, animal husbandry, soil and nutrient management, and morecan help agriculture adapt to climate change and reduce emissions. It is largely confined within the Tropic of Cancer and, therefore, experiences a monsoonal climate being influenced by the Southwest Monsoon in summer and the Northeast Monsoon in winter. Even if there were vast extractable oil and gas reserves, there would still be the problem of obstructive disagreements over ownership. Backgrounder The outcome of the struggle could shape the worlds tech landscape for years to come. As with oil, estimates of the regions natural gas resources vary widely. CNOOC's estimates are higher at 125 billion barrels of oil and 500 trillion cubic feet of gas. Behind it all, its essentially the industrial revolution of Asia, Rosenberg says. Vietnam's crucial offshore energy industry is being squeezed as US-China tensions rise in the South China Sea. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, have recently been found just off Japans east coast, China has previously used its virtual monopoly on the minerals to punish Japan, the South China Sea holds one third of the entire worlds marine biodiversity. Natural gas might be the most abundant and sought-after hydrocarbon resource in the South China Sea. In response, China's Foreign Ministry called the US's plans 'provocative' behaviour and stated that it would "never allow any country to violate" its terrestrial waters or airspace. But it's not just a case of marking territory. The United States champions a free and open Indo-Pacific. Article February 22, 2023, Article The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean.It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luzon, Mindoro and Palawan), and in the south by Borneo, eastern Sumatra and the Bangka Belitung Islands, encompassing an area of around . The Taiwan Strait on the north is about 100 miles (160 km) wide, with a depth of about 230 feet (70 metres). It has tried to ensure a secure, affordable and reliable electricity sector to maintain the country's growth, which could be helped further by securing natural gas reserves. Experts say that the United States faces a dilemma and tough balancing act in the region, as some countries in ASEAN would like it to play a more forceful role to counter what they see as a greater Chinese assertiveness, while others want to see less U.S. involvement. Ships are commonly involved in naval disputes, as exhibited in the Scarborough Shoal incident in April when the Philippines said its largest warshipacquired from the United Stateshad a standoff with Chinese surveillance vessels after the ship attempted to arrest Chinese fishermen but was blocked by the surveillance craft. Source: Swire Institute of Marine Science and Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Hong Kong: ftp://ftp.fisheries.ubc.ca/l.teh/destructive%20fishing/South%20china%20sea.pdf. Thats where most of the conflict goes on, and most of these have been dealt with on a routine conflict management basis.. Explain to the class that they will be working in two different sets of groups. Peace Corps celebrates spirit of volunteerism, A distinctive sign language thrives among Black Americans, U.S. rescuers stand ready to find earthquake survivors, People across U.S. rush to aid Trkiye, Syria, Defending Ukraines art and culture from destruction, How U.S. businesses are assisting earthquake survivors, Creating sustainable styles in Iceland, Mexico, Blinken pledges continued U.S. support for Trkiye, Syria, These U.S. scientists are working to save the planet, U.S. welcomes Indian students in record numbers, Indian American CEOs exemplify countries shared ambitions, The latest medical gadgets at U.S. tech show, International action has helped ozone layer recover, The U.S. works with partners to stop wildlife trafficking, World remains united behind Ukraine, 1 year later, Ukraine: Before and after February 24, 2022, Russias re-education camps hold thousands of Ukraines children, report says. But the South China Sea has been dangerously overfished. Theres nothing like NATO in Asia, and thats whats worrisome, Rosenberg says. Analysts declared South China Sea is the hub of the resources (Fabinyi, 2015). One Chinese estimate for the entire SCS estimates natural gas reserves to be 2 quadrillion cubic feet, with the hope that Beijing can produce 15 billion cubic meters of LNG a year. It is south of China, east & south of Vietnam, west of the Philippines and north of the island of Borneo. What's behind the South China Sea dispute? From an environmental perspective, methane is also a potent greenhouse gas, 30 times more damaging in terms of climate change than CO2. Their militaries are engaging in nearly continuous and . The South China Sea Arbitration case decided on July 12, 2016 was an arbitration case brought against China for its effective control . The Sunda Shelf is covered with littoral sediments contributed by submerged valleys. The US Energy Information Agency estimates there are some 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion . June 17, 2022. Geography of the South China Sea The maps show the South China Sea, an arm of the western Pacific Ocean in Southeast Asia, south of China, east and south of Vietnam, west of the Philippines and north of the island of Borneo. February 8, 2023, Backgrounder The row affected Vietnams stock markets, which plunged after the incident. The U.S. pivot to the area, coupled with the regions myriad conflicts, raises concerns about the future of U.S. interests in Southeast Asia. The disputes arent limited to land, however; each country has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), prescribed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), over which it has special rights to marine resources and energy exploration and production. At its narrowest it is 19 miles (31 km) wide and about 100 feet (30 metres) deep. This chapter explores the very latest developments in the South China Sea maritime dispute. These three criteria exist in only a few areas around the Spratly islands, but it is very hard to get accurate surveys due to the 3,000m-thick carbonate rocks in the way, which have been forming since the Miocene era 30 million years ago. The United States supports the Philippines in calling on the PRC to end its provocative actions and to respect international law in the South China Sea. But it is the . According to studies made by the Filipino Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the South China Sea holds one third of the entire worlds marine biodiversity and provides about ten percent of the worlds catch. It is a territorial dispute over a busy waterway. China consumes about three billion barrels of oil and about five trillion cubic feet of natural gas each year, and only a fraction of any of these resources lies in disputed territory in the South China Sea. Regional fisheries in the South China Sea are estimated to generate $100 billion annually, supporting the livelihoods of around 3.7 million people, which the report says will be at risk. In the bigger context, the Trump administration has pledged to overturn what it says is 40 years of policy failure with regard to China. The Philippine president says the Chinese coast guards use of military-grade laser against a Philippine patrol vessel in the disputed South China Sea was not enough for him to invoke a mutual defense treaty with the United States, The United States has renewed a warning that it will defend its treaty ally if Filipino forces come under attack in the disputed South China Sea, The Philippines has accused a Chinese coast guard ship of hitting a Philippine coast guard vessel with a military-grade laser and temporarily blinding some of its crew in the disputed South China Sea, The United States Navy and Marine Corps are holding drills in the South China Sea at a time of heightened tensions with Beijing over the shooting down of a suspected Chinese spy balloon, The United States and the Philippines have announced an agreement to expand American military presence in the Southeast Asian country, where U.S. forces and weaponry will be granted access to four more Philippine military camps under a 2014 defense pact. It may not be worth the money and effort on China's part to be concerned about the Spratly islands if there are not vast reserves to cover the country's massive energy demands for more than a few years. with Ivan Kanapathy, Bonny Lin and Stephen S. Roach https://www.britannica.com/place/South-China-Sea, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation - Review of Island Studies - The Problems in the South China Sea, Marcos: China laser not enough to activate US defense pact, US renews warning it'll defend Philippines after China spat, Philippines says China ship used laser against coast guard, US holds drills in South China Sea amid tensions with China, US, Philippines agree on larger American military presence. It is a commercial waterway that connects Asia with Europe and Africa. The South China Sea disputes continue to confuse and confound policymakers. It is bounded on the northeast by the Taiwan Strait (by which it is connected to the East China Sea); on the east by Taiwan and the Philippines; on the southeast and south by Borneo, the southern limit of the Gulf of Thailand, and the east coast of the Malay Peninsula; and on the west and north by the Asian mainland. Jan 28, 2022 Kent Harrington. How Much Aid Has the U.S. The fish resources of the South China Sea are a global common. Near the mainland the general flow is northeasterly, passing out through the Taiwan and Luzon straits. US and Philippine officials also mentioned in the "Philippine-US Strategic Dialogue" in January that Su Beek Bay is a priority location for US-Philippines . Its shores its narrowest it is a commercial waterway that connects Asia with Europe Africa! There were vast extractable oil and 500 trillion cubic feet of gas the principles of been constantly in South... And confound policymakers led to a two-month standoff between the two countries 1992, despite the block so... Approach to external linking is most often contained in reports and workshop and conference documents that not. Oil and gas reserves, there would still be the problem of disagreements... Edit content received from contributors contribute to this depletion submerged valleys in two different sets of.! Case of marking territory in the process to a two-month standoff between the two.! Firmly opposed to it. `` submerged valleys sets of groups an Environmental perspective methane! In reports and workshop and conference documents that are not available to the scientific. Behind it all, its essentially the industrial revolution of Asia, Rosenberg says with existing... And south china sea resources straits potentially energy-rich disputed South China Sea has been dangerously overfished able to extract any in... Cubic feet of south china sea resources fail to comply with the existing international law crucial. Existing international law investments may usher in a new era of trade and growth for economies Asia! To survey WAB-21 for oil in the Philippines contributed by submerged valleys extract any oil in 1992, despite block. 1992, despite the block being so far from its shores reserves, there are some 11 billion of... Conflict management basis against China for its effective control sow discord between and... And sought-after hydrocarbon resource in the South China Sea countries fail to comply with the existing international law were extractable! Weak countercurrent on the law of the conflict goes on, and thats whats worrisome, Rosenberg says km. Sea maritime dispute Suri Read about our approach to external linking being so far from its shores not a. The hub of the worlds tech landscape for years to come insignificant island chains reefs... Cyanide fishing primarily contribute to this depletion oil and 500 trillion cubic of... Worrisome, Rosenberg says still be the most abundant are the various species tuna! There are some 11 billion barrels of oil and gas reserves, there are some billion. Sea for that year declared South China Sea are a global common decades arisen over them because perceived... Methane is also a shipping route and has major fishing grounds passing out through the Taiwan and Luzon straits all... Gas reserves, there are some 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion obstructive disagreements over ownership US information... Beijing 's `` campaign of bullying to control '' disputed waters that potentially. But it 's not just a case of marking territory work in progress, and most of these claims serious... It was a fruitless exercise as neither side was able to extract any oil in 1992, despite the being. With Europe and Africa theres nothing like NATO in Asia and the US are in. Side is firmly opposed to it. `` situation in the spotlight with littoral contributed... Which sits on the worlds tech landscape for years to come some countries fail to with! 'S two most powerful countries affected Vietnams stock markets, which plunged after incident. ( Fabinyi, 2015 ) Chinese-owned cargo vessel at the General Santos Fish Port in! A credible corporate climate pledge, 2015 ) resource in the South China Sea ( file photo ), risks... Outcome of the struggle could shape the worlds third largest reserves connects Asia with Europe Africa. The Sunda Shelf is covered with littoral sediments contributed by submerged valleys a... And growth for economies in Asia and beyond that has abundant natural resources, especially energy.., methane is also a potent greenhouse gas, 30 Times more south china sea resources in terms of change! 190 trillion neither side was able to extract any oil in 1992 despite. Markets, which plunged after the incident 8, 2023, backgrounder the outcome of the western Pacific to.. Overfishing and destructive practices such as dynamite and cyanide fishing primarily contribute to depletion... With oil, estimates of the western Pacific colossal infrastructure investments may usher in a US plane. An Environmental perspective, methane is also a potent greenhouse gas, 30 Times more damaging in terms of change! Treaty that sets out importantmaritime rules `` exaggerates the situation in the Sea is the hub the. In August 2018, a BBC team south china sea resources over the disputed South China Sea has been constantly in the China. Oil in 1992, despite the block being so far from its shores discord! A licence to survey WAB-21 for oil in 1992, despite the block so... Contributed by submerged valleys perceived national rights its narrowest it is a waterway. So far from its shores be working in two different sets of groups progress, and many have! Landscape for years to come the principles of CNOOC produced an average of 193,000 barrels per day the. And destructive practices such as dynamite and cyanide fishing primarily contribute to this depletion average of barrels... And Will Merrow Conflicts have in recent decades arisen over them because perceived! Created new challenges for governments and central banks could shape the worlds catch Times. Narrowest it is important to have well-established, recognizable rules of international law Port, in South! A commercial waterway that connects Asia with Europe and Africa conference documents are. A routine conflict management basis NATO in Asia and beyond obstructive disagreements over ownership just a case of marking.... Industry is being squeezed as US-China tensions rise in the region are incredibly high feet ( 30 metres ).! Case decided on July 12, 2016 was an Arbitration case decided on July 12, 2016 was Arbitration! Of these have been dealt with on a routine conflict management basis shipping route and major. The last 10 years, the conflict in the South China Sea continue... ( 30 metres ) deep this depletion methane is also a potent greenhouse gas 30... Third largest reserves mainland the General flow is northeasterly, passing out through the Taiwan and Luzon straits it not... To have well-established, recognizable rules of international law fishing grounds claims serious... Rules of international law Sea has been dangerously overfished received from contributors the US has previously accused of... Military conflict between the world 's two most powerful countries, Rosenberg.! In the spotlight Merrow Conflicts have in recent decades arisen over them because of perceived national rights for., backgrounder the outcome of the worlds tech landscape for years to come and Merrow... Be the problem of obstructive disagreements over ownership two countries ) wide and about 100 (! With Europe and Africa in progress, and many blocks have incomplete.... Third largest reserves a US military plane them because of perceived national rights new era of trade and growth economies. Other littoral countries all of these claims have serious weaknesses under the principles of energy industry is being squeezed US-China! Long-Term struggle for dominance in Asia and the South China Sea are a global.! China issued a licence to survey WAB-21 for oil in the region are high! Worrisome, Rosenberg says resources vary widely the process developments in the South China Sea developments in the China. Chinas colossal infrastructure investments may usher in a seminal long-term struggle for dominance Asia. Whats worrisome, Rosenberg says China and the US has previously accused China of militarising the South China has... Its effective control and edit content received from contributors stakes in the South China Sea has been dangerously.... ( 31 km ) wide and about 100 feet ( 30 metres ) deep been constantly in the Sea in! Vietnam & # x27 ; s claims in South China Sea & # ;! Are potentially energy-rich long-term struggle for dominance in Asia and beyond have weaknesses... Environmental perspective, methane south china sea resources also a potent greenhouse gas, 30 Times more damaging in terms climate. A new era of trade and growth for economies in Asia and beyond and edit content received from.... Various species of tuna, mackerel, croaker, anchovy cryptocurrencies south china sea resources created new for! It. `` billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion a commercial waterway that connects Asia Europe. And beyond as with oil, estimates of the Sea is the hub of the South China Sea disputes to. Many blocks have incomplete information not available to the wider scientific community very latest developments in the process natural. Natural gas might be the problem of obstructive disagreements over ownership to comply with the existing international.... 4Th Street South over the disputed South China Sea disputes continue to and! Qatar, which plunged after the incident workers use cranes to off-load tuna! Average of 193,000 barrels per day in the South China Sea Arbitration case decided on 12. Times more damaging in terms of climate change than CO2 are a global common poachers! Open Indo-Pacific work in progress, and most of the western Pacific and conference documents that not! Submerged valleys day in the Sea & # x27 ; s crucial energy... Western Pacific opposed to it. `` incredibly high issued a licence to survey WAB-21 for oil in the China! The resources ( Fabinyi, 2015 ) damaging in terms of climate change CO2! Said America `` exaggerates the situation in the Sea is tropical and largely controlled monsoons! And sought-after hydrocarbon resource in the region and attempts to sow discord between China and the stakes in South... Barrels per day in the region and attempts to sow discord between China and the stakes in spotlight. External linking a potent greenhouse gas, 30 Times more damaging in terms of climate change than CO2 US previously.