Investigating China's 'historic' claims in the South China Sea

Investigating China's 'historic' claims in the South China Sea

The South China Sea has been an area of regular clashes and heightened tensions under the leadership of Xi Jinping. It seems that, every few months, Chinese naval or coastguard ships clash or almost clash with vessels from South East Asian nations like Vietnam and the Philippines. Only last week, a Chinese ship clashed with the Filipino coast guard in the Spratly Islands, with both sides levelling angry accusations at each other.

The region is full of disputed claims, making it fertile waters for accidental escalation. China says its claims to the region – encompassed by the ‘nine-dash line’ – are historic; that island sets such as the Spratlys and the Paracels in the South China Sea are as integral to the Chinese empire as Hong Kong or Taiwan. How sound is that claim?

This episode will be digging into the origins of the nine-dash line (roughly pictured here) – and finds them not so much in ancient imperial days. The chaotic formation of China’s claims in the South China Sea is researched and detailed in Bill Hayton’s book, The Invention of China.

To hear more about Bill's book, tune in to our previous episode: What is it to be Chinese?

Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.


For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.


Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(122)

New podcast: Quite right! with Michael Gove & Madeline Grant

New podcast: Quite right! with Michael Gove & Madeline Grant

Michael Gove and Madeline Grant launch Quite right!, The Spectator’s new podcast promising sanity and common sense in an increasingly unhinged world. This week, they talk about Labour’s deputy drama, ...

10 Sep 202518min

A compilation of Chinese Whispers: understanding China

A compilation of Chinese Whispers: understanding China

As Chinese Whispers comes to an end, here is a compilation of some of the best discussions Cindy Yu has had across the podcast to understand modern China and President Xi. On this episode you can hear...

5 Mai 20251h 37min

What does it take to be 'an old friend of the Chinese people'?

What does it take to be 'an old friend of the Chinese people'?

** Chinese Whispers is coming to an end. Later this year, Cindy Yu will be joining The Times and The Sunday Times to write a regular column on China. To stay abreast of her latest work, subscribe to h...

7 Apr 202537min

From Chimerica to Cold War II: how US-China relations soured

From Chimerica to Cold War II: how US-China relations soured

** Chinese Whispers is coming to an end. Later this year, Cindy Yu will be joining The Times and The Sunday Times to write a regular column on China. To stay abreast of her latest work, subscribe to h...

24 Mar 202536min

Rana Mitter on the legacy of Sun Yat-sen

Rana Mitter on the legacy of Sun Yat-sen

Walking around Taipei a couple of years ago, I spotted a familiar sight – a bronze statue of a moustachioed man, cane in his right hand, left leg striding forward. The man is Sun Yat-sen, considered m...

10 Mar 202543min

What China's planned mega-dam means for Asia

What China's planned mega-dam means for Asia

Just before the end of 2024, Chinese state media Xinhua slipped out an announcement – the long discussed mega-dam in Medog County, Tibet, has been greenlit. When built, it will generate three times mo...

24 Feb 202528min

Have America's chips controls backfired?

Have America's chips controls backfired?

Beginning in the first Trump presidency and expanded under Joe Biden, the US has taken a strategy of technologically containing China through restricting its access to cutting edge semiconductors. As ...

10 Feb 202557min

What is China's 'United Front' agenda?

What is China's 'United Front' agenda?

** Chinese Whispers is nominated in the Political Podcast Awards 2025. Vote for it to win the People's Choice category here **When Chinese spy scandals break, like the latest involving Prince Andrew a...

27 Jan 202533min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
forklart
aftenpodden-usa
popradet
stopp-verden
i-retten
dine-penger-pengeradet
fotballpodden-2
det-store-bildet
rss-gukild-johaug
nokon-ma-ga
hanna-de-heldige
rss-ness
aftenbla-bla
e24-podden
rss-dannet-uten-piano
grasoner-den-nye-kalde-krigen
frokostshowet-pa-p5