The geostrategic maritime review. No. 9, The South China Sea: the Mediterranean of Asia

The South China Sea is a classic Mediterranean sea-structure with a long history of populations living in the basin and taking advantage of a permanent trading activity interrupted by some dramatic war moments. The Chinese preponderance on the development and the history of the basin has been a permanent element of both equilibrium and dilemma. Political and military tensions are heating up with a sharp increase in commercial relations amongst the regional countries and the great international powers.