This book assesses the Sino-Japanese strategic competition in the context of the South China
Sea (SCS) territorial disputes. The South China Sea territorial disputes are quickly becoming
the most significant security problem in East and Southeast Asia. Two major powers China and
Japan have interests in the region and are pursuing different strategies that can
significantly impact the outcome of the disputes. Utilizing Securitization Theory this study
evaluates the Sino-Japanese strategic competition through political narratives that galvanize
the military and economic policies that are transforming the region. It highlights how these
narratives so closely bounded to the political legitimacy of current governments and supported
by provocative policies have resulted in a co-constitutive pattern of enmity and
securitization thus making it increasingly difficult to resolve the disputes.
