Konflikte und maritime Sicherheitspolitik: Das Südchinesische Meer und die Transitrouten Südostasiens.

The South China Sea is one of the most important und largest semi-enclosed seas in the world and a significant area of regional and international shipping lanes, particularly the Strait of Malacca. The area includes more than 200 islands, rocks and reefs and is rich in natural resources such as oil and natural gas, but also in living maritime resources. The islands are important for strategic and political reasons, especially since Asia's economy growth, and therefore the competing territorial claims over the South China Sea and its resources are numerous. In addition to traditional security threats the region and its maritime security is also plagued by non-traditional threats like piracy, maritime terrorism and illegal trade of arms, drugs and human beings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]