U.S.-South Korea Coordination Toward China: Maritime Security

Introduction

For many South Korean observers, Taiwan is one of four hotspots for a potential conflict between the United States and China in East Asia. The other areas of concern include the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, the Korean Peninsula, and the South China Sea. As such, the Taiwan Strait represents a nexus of international relations, where the interests of major powers converge and contend under the shadow of an uncertain future. China’s maritime ambitions entail reshaping the landscape, especially in the contentious waters of the Taiwan…