Power Politics in Asia’s Contested Waters: Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea

This volume offers a comprehensive and empirically rich analysis of regional maritime disputes in the South China Sea (SCS). By discussing important aspects of the rise of China’s maritime power, such as territorial disputes, altered perceptions of geo-politics and challenges to the US-led regional order, the authors demonstrate that a regional power shift is taking place in Asia-Pacific. The volume also provides in-depth discussions of the responses to Chinese actions by SCS claimants as well as by important non-claimant actors.

Enrico Fels is a research fellow and lecturer at the Center for Global Studies (CGS), University of Bonn. He holds a Bachelors degree from Ruhr-University Bochum in Political Science, Economics and Sociology and has a Masters degree from the Australian National University in Strategic Studies, where he also was a T.B. Millar Scholar in Strategic and Defence Studies. Enrico received his PhD from Bonn University. He is regularly presenting at international conferences, publishes his research in books and articles and is frequently invited to give lectures. Enrico leads the CGS research group on “Security and Diplomacy” and is co-editor to the book Power in the 21st Century. International Security and International Political Economy in a Changing World (Springer, 2012). His research interests and expertise include traditional and non-traditional security issues, international political economics as well as the strategic and geoeconomic consequences of an emerging Asia to Europe and the United States.

Truong-Minh VU is Director of the Center for International Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City (SCIS). He is currently also a lecturer at the Faculty of International Relations, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City. He holds a PhD from the University of Bonn, has published articles in numerous academic and policy journals (including The National Interest, Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional, Global Asia, East Asia Policy, E-International Relations, ASIEN) and is regularly invited to deliver lectures.