Abstract:

This study focuses on Sino-US competition in the South China Sea. It seeks to answer why the South China Sea is the scene of increasing competition between the two states. Within the framework of the underlined question, the study primarily claims that the continuity in threat perception is the main factor in South China Sea competition. Via threat perception conceptualization, it reveals the main points that make the South China Sea a competitive area for both the US and China. It addresses these threats through the strategic approaches of both states and their reflections on national security documents. As the second important point, it argues the effects of the continuity in threat perception on geostrategic targets and steps, moreover discusses the factors that bring the two states face to face in the region. While presenting the positions of the US and China in the area across the cost and benefit equation, it discusses how these positions turn into competitive elements.

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