Report to Congress on South China Sea Disputes

Multiple Asian governments assert sovereignty over rocks, reefs, and other geographic features in the heavily trafficked South China Sea (SCS), with the People’s Republic of China (PRC or China) arguably making the most assertive claims. Separate from the sovereignty disputes, the governments of the United States, China, and other countries disagree over what rights international law grants foreign militaries to fly, sail, and operate in a country’s territorial sea or exclusive economic zone (EEZ). For more than a decade, some Members have examined China’s efforts to use coercion and intimidation to increase its control over the SCS.An estimated one-fifth to...