China’s Road-map for Regional Cooperation: Building a Community of Shared Future in the South China Sea

The South China Sea (SCS) has long been mired in historical disputes and rising geopolitical tensions, making innovative frameworks necessary to foster regional stability. This article introduces the Community of Shared Future (CSF), China’s strategic roadmap to transform the SCS from a contested space into a zone of cooperation. Rooted in mutual benefit and multilateralism, the CSF emphasizes joint resource management, economic integration, and conflict de-escalation. Deep-rooted issues, such as colonial legacies, resource competition, and contests between nations, have exacerbated regional disputes. Furthermore, post-2016 militarization by claimants has hindered resolution efforts. The CSF counters zero-sum logics by prioritizing shared interests, such as temporarily suspending sovereignty claims, promoting joint fisheries and energy ventures, and embedding cooperative norms in ASEAN dialogues. A key component of this vision is leveraging China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to promote infrastructure development, marine conservation, and tourism. Indonesia’s pragmatic approach to balancing sovereignty and economic cooperation offers a model for other littoral states. However, obstacles remain, including persistent distrust among ASEAN members and external interference. The success of the CSF is contingent upon the implementation of a multifaceted, interconnected framework by policymakers. This implementation must encompass the following five pillars: (1) the facilitation of diplomatic consensus-building through bilateral and ASEAN dialogues, (2) the promotion of economic integration via revenue-sharing and BRI-backed projects, (3) the coordination of security measures to mitigate militarization, (4) the enhancement of legal and diplomatic frameworks, and (5) the establishment of a new maritime security forum or secretariat for the SCS. By conceptualizing the SCS as a “common home” rather than a site of conflict, the CSF aligns with ASEAN’s developmental agenda while accommodating China’s strategic imperatives. This approach ultimately positions the SCS as a potential exemplar for global maritime governance probably.