Newsmaker panel examines South China Sea dispute – What happens next? March 21

China’s militarization of the Spratly Islands and claim of sovereignty over vast areas of the South China Sea has created a major challenge for other Pacific nations and for freedom of navigation.

Experts will look at the political, legal, economic and security issues at play in the South China Sea dispute and discuss what is likely to happen next at a Newsmaker panel on March 21, at 10 a.m., in the National Press Club’s Zenger Room. Recent satellite images of China’s actions also will be reviewed.

Each year, $5.3 trillion of trade passes through the South China Sea, including $1.2 trillion in U.S. trade. More than half of the world’s annual merchant fleet tonnage and a third of all maritime traffic worldwide travel through these waters.

National Press Club President Thomas Burr will moderate the news conference. Guest speakers at the roughly hour-long Newsmaker include:

Gregory Poling of the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Asian Maritime Security Initiative. In addition to his remarks, Mr. Poling will display and describe satellite images CSIS has obtained that show the construction of military facilities on the Spratlys;

Dr. Yann-huei Song of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Area Studies, research fellow, Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica; and Adjunct Professor, Soochow University School of Law, Taipei, Taiwan, the Republic of China;

Captain Donald Marcus, president of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (an organization of American sea captains and deck officers);

Dr. Larry M. Wortzel of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission and formerly a military attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and former director of the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation; (Note: Dr. Wortzel will be speaking as an independent expert and not for any of the organizations he is currently or previously affiliated.)