The South China Sea is a vital region global for trade and regional security. Unfortunately, tensions between China and the Philippines have transformed it into a highly disputed area. This essay aims to thoroughly examine the consequences of this dispute including its impact on regional tensions and unity within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) maritime trade, international alliances legal frameworks environmental concerns and the possibility of armed conflict.

The South China Sea dispute not only escalates tensions between China and the Philippines but also relations strains other among Southeast Asian nations with overlapping territorial claims. China’s expansive claims depicted in the “Nine-Dash Line ” overlap with the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of several ASEAN countries such as Malaysia Vietnam Indonesia, and Brunei. The Philippines supported by a 2016 ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration holds a particularly contentious position However, China’s refusal to acknowledge this ruling intensifies the standoff, leading to increased military activity and skirmishes that destabilise the region.

The South China Sea dispute weakens ASEAN’s cohesion, which is crucial for maintaining unity among its member states. The principle of consensus and non-interference, which is integral to ASEAN, is also under significant strain due to conflicting interests and external pressures faced by member states.

Countries such as Cambodia and Laos, which have strong economic ties with........

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