In “Oil, History, and the South China Sea: A Dangerous Mix,” affiliate faculty and geoscientist Scott L. Montgomery examines how historical purpose, national identity, and global ambition can influence energy insecurity.
Focusing on China, Montgomery suggests that the country’s claims over the South China Sea have to do with the fact that it has far less oil than it needs to continue its economic and military expansion. China’s claims on the territoriality contested waters are therefore based both on their importance as a conduit to move oil, as well potential drill sites to explore for oil.