The Challenge of the South China Sea: Congressional Engagement and the U.S. Policy Response

Abstract

Maritime territorial disputes in Asia are increasingly contentious, with

competing claims and confrontations among numerous states of the region

carrying significant implications for the relations among the countries of

the region, between the U.S. and the region, and for the broader US-China

relationship. This analysis examines the politics of the U.S. approach to the

challenge, focusing on the role of Congress as a factor shaping the U.S.

response. After establishing an analytical framework that directs attention

to legislative-executive interactions and the domestic political/institutional

context, it assesses the consequences of this context for U.S. policies and

approaches to the problem. The analysis reveals the sequence and dynamics

of congressional engagement, by which members moved from indirect and

non-legislative approaches to direct and legislative approaches to narrow the

boundaries and the shape the direction of US foreign policy. It concludes by

addressing the implications for the U.S. approach and the relationships among

the key parties.

Keywords

• Congress,foreign policy,diplomacy,South China Sea,maritime territorial disputes

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