Trade is and has always been an issue of the South China Sea conflict. Recently, there have been ongoing discussions of a free trade plan involving the South China Sea. While some nations of ASEAN believe that this would benefit multiple economies, others are rather skeptical of this plan. Indonesia and Malaysia believe that China must be a part of this trade agreement, as they and many other countries depend heavily on China’s economy. China has spoken out on this issue and expressed concerns about the exclusion of other countries, such as Western nations in this free trade agreement. They are specifically worried about potential exploitation of nations. The Philippines has sided with China and mentioned that globalization is becoming more and more prevalent to the international community, especially with regards to trade. We will keep you updated with more news as it becomes available.
