The Cold War was a state of political and military tension after World War II between powers in the Western Bloc and powers in the Eastern Bloc. Many people see the South China Sea dispute as a potentially explosive security issue in East Asia. The first phase of the Cold War began in the first two years after the end of the 2nd World War in 1945. The South China Sea is often dubbed as the second Middle East for its potential rich reserves of oil and natural gas resources. At the same time, the sovereignty over the islands and rights over the resources in the South China Sea are intensely contested among China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
Last date updated on September, 2024