The South China Sea disputes involve both island and maritime claims among several sovereign states within the region, namely Brunei, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. There are disputes about the Paracels and the Spratlys island chains, aswell as maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Tonkin. The South China Sea plays a significant role in the geopolitics of the region. It is a critical gateway for world’s commercial merchant shipping with $5 trillion annual average cargo transshipment.
Azhar Serikkaliyeva graduated from China Studies Department of the Faculty of Oriental Studies in Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in 2008. She completed master education in 2010 by presenting her master thesis namely ‘Chinese strategy of peaceful rising and current sino-kazakh relations ’. She holds a Masters in Area Studies from al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Azhar Serikkaliyeva started doctorate process in 2010 and completed it in 2014 by presenting her PhD thesis ‘Chinese social and economic activity at the SCO’. During academic career she has published more than 20 scientific p