To maintain calm in the South China Sea, Beijing just reaches for the bilateral playbook

China’s often-used bilateral consultation mechanism doesn’t always work, but it does help defuse conflicts, experts say

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Beijing uses bilateral consultation mechanisms with its South China Sea rivals to keep relations calm. Photo: Weibo

Alyssa Chen

Published: 6:00am, 22 Dec 2024

Despite their ongoing rivalry over the South China Sea, Malaysia and China continue to keep close ties.

Back in 2019, the two Asian powers agreed to set up a bilateral consultation mechanism (BCM) specifically for dealing with maritime issues. In October this year, it was finally set into motion.

Details of the consultation were scant – both sides said only that they would improve practical cooperation.

But this bilateral method appears to be Beijing’s go-to approach to handling South China Sea disputes. And although the strategy has had both wins and fails, maritime experts say the very existence of mechanism plays a crucial part in preventive diplomacy that both manages tensions and fosters consensus.

One of the main reasons Beijing uses this approach is to stop interference from other countries that could complicate or escalate issues, according to Luo Liang, an assistant research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies.

He said that while China and Malaysia had strong ties, unresolved maritime disputes in the South China Sea persisted, underscoring the need for preventive measures to manage potential conflicts.

“When relations between China and Malaysia are strong, both countries can push forward with pragmatic cooperation and enhance their communications,” Luo said.