Introduction: Creating a Favourable Environment for South China Sea Issue Resolution Through International Research Cooperation

Abstract

The series of articles on the South China Sea issue published in the present journal represents the interim results of the major Chinese National Social Science project entitled “Collation and Research of Documents on the South China Sea in Southeast Asia”, which I lead. Every year, the National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences conducts open bidding across the country for key research topics that are foundational, strategic, and forward-looking in nature. This project, which I was awarded and initiated in 2021 (Project No.: 21&ZD244), is one such endeavour.

The project aims to systematically sort and analyse documents related to the South China Sea issue held in Southeast Asia. It seeks to uncover the historical facts and legal foundations embedded in these materials, thereby providing a robust academic basis for an objective and comprehensive understanding of the historical background and current realities of the  South China Sea dispute.