Chapter Thirteen
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had broken out between China and Vietnam as early as 1974 along their
750-mile disputed border, which had never been clearly delineated.^9
Armed clashes along the border lasted until 1990, with one of the biggest
bloodsheds in 1988 when Chinese forces killed 64 Vietnamese soldiers.
After the withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam, the US
remained present in the region of South East Asia, East Asia, and the
Pacific Ocean (i.e. the Asia-Pacific Rim), playing a key role as a guarantor
of regional security, not just for its allies such as Japan, South Korea, and
Taiwan, but also for the sea lines of communication, economic exchange
and growth. Generally speaking, Vietnam was initially hostil towards the
US during this historical period. At that time, Vietnam was backed by and
used in balancing by China, which later developed a closer relationship
with the US (against the USSR). Nowadays, under the current
circumstances, that pattern is changing completely in the opposite way, as
it will be seen further in this article.
Current Issues and Disputes between Vietnam and China
The main disputes which are hotly contested between Vietnam and China
today are the territorial claims in the South China Sea. Among these
territorial claims are the disputes over the delimitation of the Gulf of
Tonkin and the sovereignty of the Spartly and Paracel Islands, which are
also disputed by Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines.^10 The
incentives for both countries in disputes over these territories are primarily
of an economic and geostrategic military nature. The Spartly and Paracel
Islands–which in fact are small, rocky, uninhabited islets–as well as the
Gulf of Tonkin and their surroundings, are abundant with fields with oil
and natural gas reserves.^11 These resources are crucial for the Chinese
economy which is heavily dependent on them. In this respect, the main
aim of these countries is the extension of their Exclusive Economic Zones
(EEZ), as defined in the 1982 Convention of the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS), which provides them special rights to exploration and the use
of resources within it.
The importance of the geographical positions of these islands is
another reason for conflict. Positioned in the central and southern parts of
the South China Sea, they are strategically very important for the sea lanes
(^9) Cohen, Geopolitics of the World System, 263.
(^10) Sehnálková, “China’s growing assertiveness in the South China and East China
Seas: Reactions of the U.S. and other regional players”, 67-68.
(^11) Cohen, Geopolitics of the World System, 241. See also: Q&A: South China sea
dispute http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13748349