This thesis examines the recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea disputes. Is China carrying out a neorealist approach regarding its interests in the South China Sea while ignoring...Show moreThis thesis examines the recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea disputes. Is China carrying out a neorealist approach regarding its interests in the South China Sea while ignoring international laws and norms? Examining the current international laws, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, shows that China has little interest in observing them. If power or security is what the PRC is interested in, the actions taken should be able to demonstrate that, which is what this paper seeks to explain through the lens of neorealism. Natural resources are a negligible factor in the current actions of China, they are mostly focused on constructing defences in what is known as the doctrine of Island Chains and pushing any possible future war further away from the Chinese mainland. Chinese actions in the South China Sea are driven by the security dilemma in which the US features as the primary antagonist. Recognizing the neorealist approach of China's interests is key to understanding why China won't stop its actions regardless of US pressure.Show less
