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On Dangerous Ground: America's Century in the South China Sea
A robust yet accessible history of US involvement in the world's most dangerous waterway, and a guide for what to do about it.
Lamentations that the United States is "losing" the South China Sea to China are now common. China has rapidly militarized islands and reefs, projects power across the disputed waterway, and freely harasses US allies and partners. The US has been unable to halt these processes or convince Beijing to respect the rights of smaller neighbors. But what exactly would "losing" mean?
In On Dangerous Ground , Gregory B. Poling evaluates US interests in the world's most complex and dangerous maritime disputes by examining more than a century of American involvement in the South China Sea. He focuses on how the disputes there intersected and eventually intertwined with the longstanding US commitment to freedom of the seas and its evolving alliance network in Asia. He shows that these abiding national interests--defense of maritime rights and commitment to allies, particularly the Philippines--have repeatedly pulled US attention to the South China Sea. Understanding how and why is critical if the US and its allies hope to chart a course through the increasingly fraught disputes, while facing a more assertive, more capable, and far less compromising China.
With an emphasis on decisions made not just in Washington and Beijing, but also in Manila and other Southeast Asian capitals, On Dangerous Ground seeks to correct the record and balance the China-centric narrative that has come to dominate the issue. It not only provides the most comprehensive account yet of America's history in the South China Sea, but it also demonstrates how that history should inform US national security policy in one of the most important waterways in the world.
Lamentations that the United States is "losing" the South China Sea to China are now common. China has rapidly militarized islands and reefs, projects power across the disputed waterway, and freely harasses US allies and partners. The US has been unable to halt these processes or convince Beijing to respect the rights of smaller neighbors. But what exactly would "losing" mean?
In On Dangerous Ground , Gregory B. Poling evaluates US interests in the world's most complex and dangerous maritime disputes by examining more than a century of American involvement in the South China Sea. He focuses on how the disputes there intersected and eventually intertwined with the longstanding US commitment to freedom of the seas and its evolving alliance network in Asia. He shows that these abiding national interests--defense of maritime rights and commitment to allies, particularly the Philippines--have repeatedly pulled US attention to the South China Sea. Understanding how and why is critical if the US and its allies hope to chart a course through the increasingly fraught disputes, while facing a more assertive, more capable, and far less compromising China.
With an emphasis on decisions made not just in Washington and Beijing, but also in Manila and other Southeast Asian capitals, On Dangerous Ground seeks to correct the record and balance the China-centric narrative that has come to dominate the issue. It not only provides the most comprehensive account yet of America's history in the South China Sea, but it also demonstrates how that history should inform US national security policy in one of the most important waterways in the world.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published July 29, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 27, 2022
An excellent explanation of why the United States cares about the South China Sea, what we've done and what we've failed to do to protect our interests over time, and how we and our allies might, might avoid losing to China. A new reader to the subject should probably start with Hayton's The South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia, then read Poling to understand much more about what the United States needs to do to defend maritime rights and prevent violence against or between our allies in the region.
P.S. My coworkers will also appreciate how often Poling documents the role of the State Department, for better or for worse.
P.S. My coworkers will also appreciate how often Poling documents the role of the State Department, for better or for worse.
November 24, 2022
(full disclosure: I have known the author professionally for many years)
An absolutely essential text for understanding how China has seized (and built!) the high ground in the South China Sea, Poling carefully reviews the history of claims in the region, the discussions at the global and regional level which failed to completely set the ground rules, and the long chain of Chinese action against other claimants inaction.
What makes the book an essential read for any future policymaker or student of the region is Poling's clear eyed assessment of both the current state of play and the possible futures, and his strong recommendations for what the U.S. and its allies must do if it has any hope to truly maintain the South China Sea as anything other than a Chinese lake.
An absolutely essential text for understanding how China has seized (and built!) the high ground in the South China Sea, Poling carefully reviews the history of claims in the region, the discussions at the global and regional level which failed to completely set the ground rules, and the long chain of Chinese action against other claimants inaction.
What makes the book an essential read for any future policymaker or student of the region is Poling's clear eyed assessment of both the current state of play and the possible futures, and his strong recommendations for what the U.S. and its allies must do if it has any hope to truly maintain the South China Sea as anything other than a Chinese lake.
January 30, 2023
Review: On Dangerous Ground: America's Century in the South China Sea by Gregory B. Poling
It is understandable that the South China Sea, with overlapping claims to its waters and islets/reefs/rocks and ceaseless small-scale stand-offs that often involved regional states and powers within and outside of the region, becomes one of most contested, if not the most contested sea in the world. Naturally, there are multible monographs on the market offer their explanation of the situation, this book offers possibly the newest, up-to-date examination of the staus quo and its timeline of development, in a comprehensive, multi-dimensional manner.
Gregory P. Poling, the author, argues the freedoms of the seas, not just freedom of the navigation, and the upholding of the law of the seas, mainly United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS), are all within the vital interests of U.S.. To contain Chinese expansionist claims and aggressive behaviours within the region, he argues the United States must cooperate with its allies and partners on multiple fronts not just political or military, but also economic and diplomatic. Philippine as the nearest local and coastal state in the region that has an alliance in the form of Multual Defence Treaty with America was his main focus point when it comes to arguing for greater cooperation, since the alliance with it was often underappreciated. In hindsight, domestic politics of both states has been as important as their foreign policies.
Poling also gives a unique insight of the timeline and evolvement of the facts on the ground in the South China Sea roughly since the start of 20th century. By accessing to open however obscure archives he did his best to reveal and restore what actually happened during the long development of the disputes and status quo, especially in the years of cold war.
To support his visions of appropriate U.S. involvements in the disputes, Poling also tracked the forming of the current international maritime law system, especially UNCLOS. He gives his appreciation to this 'truly global effort', convicingly criticising Chinese claims in the region by the legal standard of UNCLOS and the merits of recorded history, while call for not just America and its allies' action but also global cooperation in the diplomatic front.
Poling believes inaction and the lack of accordedness has made the status quo seemingly inclined to the advantage of China, yet he also argues that the South China Sea is not yet lost, with more consistent strategy and comprehensive measures, he believes U.S. and its allies could dissuade China from presuading excessive claims and militarization in the cost of its global image and diolomatic relation. He calls for greater presence of U.S. military especially U.S. navy in the region to deter the activities of Chinese fishing militia, coast guard and navy since after decades of modernization PLAN is unmatched in the contested sea, however he opposes the possible costly war which would produce lose-lose situation in his views.
On Dangerous Ground is, undoubtedly, one of the newest and freshest prensentation of the South China Sea disputes on the market that could be accessed by common reader, Poling utilizes his expertises on analysing the archives/goverment reports/news coverage, naval affairs, and regional history, to give an intelligible and insightful image of the whole situation.
It is understandable that the South China Sea, with overlapping claims to its waters and islets/reefs/rocks and ceaseless small-scale stand-offs that often involved regional states and powers within and outside of the region, becomes one of most contested, if not the most contested sea in the world. Naturally, there are multible monographs on the market offer their explanation of the situation, this book offers possibly the newest, up-to-date examination of the staus quo and its timeline of development, in a comprehensive, multi-dimensional manner.
Gregory P. Poling, the author, argues the freedoms of the seas, not just freedom of the navigation, and the upholding of the law of the seas, mainly United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS), are all within the vital interests of U.S.. To contain Chinese expansionist claims and aggressive behaviours within the region, he argues the United States must cooperate with its allies and partners on multiple fronts not just political or military, but also economic and diplomatic. Philippine as the nearest local and coastal state in the region that has an alliance in the form of Multual Defence Treaty with America was his main focus point when it comes to arguing for greater cooperation, since the alliance with it was often underappreciated. In hindsight, domestic politics of both states has been as important as their foreign policies.
Poling also gives a unique insight of the timeline and evolvement of the facts on the ground in the South China Sea roughly since the start of 20th century. By accessing to open however obscure archives he did his best to reveal and restore what actually happened during the long development of the disputes and status quo, especially in the years of cold war.
To support his visions of appropriate U.S. involvements in the disputes, Poling also tracked the forming of the current international maritime law system, especially UNCLOS. He gives his appreciation to this 'truly global effort', convicingly criticising Chinese claims in the region by the legal standard of UNCLOS and the merits of recorded history, while call for not just America and its allies' action but also global cooperation in the diplomatic front.
Poling believes inaction and the lack of accordedness has made the status quo seemingly inclined to the advantage of China, yet he also argues that the South China Sea is not yet lost, with more consistent strategy and comprehensive measures, he believes U.S. and its allies could dissuade China from presuading excessive claims and militarization in the cost of its global image and diolomatic relation. He calls for greater presence of U.S. military especially U.S. navy in the region to deter the activities of Chinese fishing militia, coast guard and navy since after decades of modernization PLAN is unmatched in the contested sea, however he opposes the possible costly war which would produce lose-lose situation in his views.
On Dangerous Ground is, undoubtedly, one of the newest and freshest prensentation of the South China Sea disputes on the market that could be accessed by common reader, Poling utilizes his expertises on analysing the archives/goverment reports/news coverage, naval affairs, and regional history, to give an intelligible and insightful image of the whole situation.
May 22, 2023
strategic in Nature
The cover of the book suggests it is going to be cool stories of tactical near misses in the South China Sea (SCS). It is actually a detailed history of all the SCS claims and moves which makes the book about international retaliations, policy implications, and long term strategies in the region.
The cover of the book suggests it is going to be cool stories of tactical near misses in the South China Sea (SCS). It is actually a detailed history of all the SCS claims and moves which makes the book about international retaliations, policy implications, and long term strategies in the region.
July 30, 2022
Outstanding work that digs a lot deeper than common reporting.
Enjoyable read, on a complex subject. Was worried that some of the wonkier treaty information was going to be over my head, but it all built the foundation explaining where we stand today.
Bravo Zulu.
Enjoyable read, on a complex subject. Was worried that some of the wonkier treaty information was going to be over my head, but it all built the foundation explaining where we stand today.
Bravo Zulu.
August 15, 2024
Phenomenally well researched, timely, and important book. Poling delivers an urgent and powerful message to US policymakers: "The United States and its allies are "losing" the South China Sea. They haven't yet lost."
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews