The South China Sea as an Area of Geopolitical and Economic Tension: Strategies of Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines

This bachelor’s thesis focuses on the foreign policy strategies of Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines amid geopolitical and economic tensions in the South China Sea. Its aim is to identify and compare the approaches these states use to protect their security and economic interests, while also demostrating how the South China Sea region is portrayed in the discourse of the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Theoretically, the thesis draws on concepts of geopolitics, balancing and hedging strategies, and the classification of national interests. Methodologically, it uses a discourse analysis of official government statements from 2019-2026 and follows up with their comparison. The results show that the South China Sea is crucial for global maritime trade and energy security. At the same time, two distinct approaches clash here: the U.S. emphasis on a rules-based international order and China’s assertion of historical claims. The analysis further shows that Vietnam combines its ”four nos” policy with a flexible hedging strategy, Malaysia prioritizes quiet diplomacy and economic stability, and the Philippines, under the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., are shifting toward external balncing by strengthening their alliance with the United States. Although all three states seek to protect their claimed territories and rely on international law, they differ in their willingness to publicly challenge China’s territorial claims. This study thus contributes to a better understanding of power relations in a region where the interests of smaller states meet the rivarly of great powers.