Topic: Territorial Dispute in the South China Sea
Country: Afghanistan
Delegate Name: Marah Maher
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Afghanistan position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
Territory in the South China Sea, in particular the Paracel and Spratly Island chains, has been an area of interest for many countries over the past hundred years. This has resulted in territorial disputes that have escalated, increasing tensions between interested nations. More than five trillion dollars in global trade passes through most of the South China Sea, which China claims as its own. Opposing claims belong to Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and the Philippines. So far most naval and military activity has been perpetrated by China, which has significantly heightened tensions between it and other countries, especially Vietnam and the Philippines. As friction between rivaling nations continues over the South China Sea, the possibility of War is far from fictitious.The United Nations needs to take action to prevent any such war and corresponding violence.
Afghanistan would ultimately benefit from China strengthening its economy due to having access to natural resources in the South China Sea. This is because Afghanistan currently sends about 427 million dollars in exports to China. A better economy in China would only prove to be more lucrative to Afghanistan. Despite this, Afghanistan would favor a diplomatic approach to the situation. It would be against using military tactics and/or violence as a solution to the issue at hand.
Afghanistan would stress the importance of avoiding military intervention and suggest natural resources from the Island chains be shared between interested countries. This could be done if the countries’ leaders meet to determine what resources would be most beneficial to each country. Then countries would have access to the resources most important to their economies without having conflict. Alternatively, Afghanistan would recommend said interested countries divide up the territory more evenly so each could benefit. If laws are put into place to establish borders in the disputed territory and ban militarization, and each nation is given exclusive access to a proficient part of the territory, all of the interested nations would have resources in the South China Sea and area to claim. Overall, Afghanistan would agree with a peaceful solution to the South China Sea dispute, and would promote the demilitarization of the Paracel and Spratly Islands.
