The South China Sea

William Hurst is the Chong Hua Professor of Chinese Development in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Co-Director of the Centre for Geopolitics, and Fellow of Wolfson College at the University of Cambridge. He is also a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London. In addition to international relations and the South China Sea, his research and teaching have focused on various dimensions of domestic politics in both China and Indonesia. He has published two other monographs, alongside dozens of articles and essays, and four edited volumes.

• I. General Introduction- Basic questions and issues- Plan of the rest of the book II. Overview and History up through 1945- Geography and basic facts- Discussion of all islands and features- Sections on colonial past and legacies for relevant Western powers in the region- Section on the Second World War III. Politics since 1945- Section on the road to independence and roots of current disputes- Sections on the political history of each South China Sea country and how that effects its stance on current issues IV. Law and Ongoing Disputes- Sections on each dispute and the legal cases, principles, and adjudication methods it has involved V. Economic and Environmental Issues- Section on shipping and trade- Section on implications for global markets- Section on fisheries, hydrocarbons and other resources- Section on unique, fragile, threatened or damaged ecosystems in the South China Sea VI. Prospects for the Future- Section on risks of war (how could a conflict start and who would it involve)- Section on prospects of either continuing status quo or lasting agreement or de-escalation- Section on implications beyond the region VII. Conclusion- Discussion of what the book has covered and where further research or study on aspects of the South China Sea could lead VIII. Suggestions for Further Reading and Bibliography