Publication

This report focuses on the competition for hydrocarbon resources in the South China Sea and the possibility of joint energy exploration and development by three nations--China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. More specifically, the text's author highlights the incentives for and attempts at cooperation by these states. There will be no cooperation, however, unless 1) mechanisms are put in place to ensure energy competition doesn't degenerate into open conflict, and 2) the three claimants cultivate a better understanding of the motives shaping each other’s behavior.