Setting the Historic Record Straight in the South China Sea, with Bill Hayton The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative

Following his public discussion about the very modern origin of China’s claims in the South China Sea, Bill Hayton sits down with AMTI Director Greg Poling for a deeper dive on how the topic continues to complicate the dispute. He summarizes how China’s claims emerged in the early 20th century, outlines their subsequent expansion, and discusses why historical revisionism by China and other claimants gets in the way of managing the disputes. Hayton is an associate fellow with Chatham House and author of The South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia.