Defending Philippine Sovereign Rights in the West Philippine Sea

Why China Sea is Important?

- Today the South China Sea is the MOST IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL WATERWAYS IN THE WORLD.
- 5.3 Trillion in Ship-borne Goods traverse, every year
- Four Major Leading Exporting Countries used the South China Sea for Maritime Trade
1. China – 50% imports of the petroleum imports (passed through Narrow Straight of Malacca going to China)
 2015 – 80% of petroleum imports of China
 China Worried that the Narrow Straight of Malacca might BLOCK and the economy will halt.
 China BUILT TWO PIPELINES: For Oil and For Gas from Coast of MYANMAR to KUNMING in YUHAN
Province; pipelines operated in 2015.
 TODAY: 30% of imports of Petroleum imports of China Pass through the TWO PIPELINES
- 50% pass through the Narrow Straight of Malacca


2. Japan – 60% imports of the petroleum imports (passed through Narrow Straight of Malacca)
3. South Korea – 65% imports of the petroleum imports
4. Taiwan – 60% imports of the petroleum imports (passed through Narrow Straight of Malacca)

- 12% Total Annual GLOBAL Fish Catch comes from the South China Sea
o 12% Annual Fish Catch BECAUSE of the SPRATLYS (an expensive collection of atoll rifts and where the fish spawn
or lay eggs)
 The EGGS AND LARVAE of the fish are carried by the currents to the coast of the ff:
- CHINA
- VIETNAM
- LUZON
- PALAWAN
- SULU SEA
- INDONESIA (________ COAST)

NOTE: IF YOU REMOVE THE SPARTLYS, YOU WILL NOT GET AS MANY FISH.

- South China Sea is RICH IN FISHERY; small sea which comprises only about 2.5% of OCEAN SURFACE.
- RICH IN METHANE HYDRATES
o Methan Hydrates are lumps of minerals, found at the bottom of the sea.
o With cold temperature; pressure are strong
o Ice Crystals form around natural gas (are incapsulated in ice crystals)
o Estimated to be MORE ABUNDANT than oil and gas combined
o In South China Sea, METHANE HYDRATES, could POWER the Chinese Economy for atleast 100 yrs
o CHINA testing in Coast of Guangdong, pilot are where extracting METHAN HYDRATES

COUNTRIES WITH TECHNOLOGY FOR EXTRACTING METHANE HYDRATES

1. China
2. USA
3. Canada
4. Japan
- VERY IMPORTANT WATERWAY – $5.3 Trillion of Ship-borne goods per year & $1 Trillion USA Inbound/Outbound Trade.
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