2011 report to congress - U.S.-China Economic and Security Review ...

166Recent Chinese Assertiveness in the South China SeaTension between China and other claimants in the South ChinaSea territorial disputes [see figure 1, below] has waxed and wanedin recent years, with periods of confrontation and intimidation followedby attempts at reconciliation and confidence building.* Chinadisplayed increasing territorial aggression in the spring and summermonths of 2011. In June, Ian Storey, fellow at the Institute forSoutheast Asian Studies in Singapore, noted that tensions in thedisputed seas were at their highest levels since the end of the ColdWar. 82 Notwithstanding China’s intermittent displays of cooperation,China’s expanding military, commercial, and rhetorical assertivenessin the South China Sea indicates that China is unlikelyto concede any of its sovereignty claims in the area. 83 Expert witnessestestified to the Commission that China’s patterns of assertivenessin the South China Sea call into question its ‘‘peacefulrise’’ as well as its long-term views toward its regional neighborsand the United States. 84dkrause on DSKHT7XVN1PROD with $$_JOB* Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam are claimants in maritimedisputes in the South China Sea. For information on developments in the South China Sea in2009 and 2010, see U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, 2010 Annual Reportto Congress (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2010), pp. 132–137.VerDate Nov 24 2008 13:46 Nov 10, 2011 Jkt 067464 PO 00000 Frm 00178 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 G:\GSDD\USCC\2011\067464.XXX 067464