Our assumptions about the nature and conduct of contemporary international politics deeply impact how we view maritime disputes plaguing the East and South China Seas. In this article, our analysis of the push and pull factors that influence the extent and possible resolution of maritime disputes in East Asia reveals that war is neither opposed in principle nor completely forbidden as an alternative. Amid heightening maritime tensions in the region, we argue that the underlying forces sustaining complex interdependence are what prevent rival states from engaging into a realist-inspired, zero-sum warfare. However, this is not to suggest that economic interdependence creates an absolute power that completely eradicates these flashpoints, and neither do we imply that it faithfully reflects East Asia’s maritime political reality. Although East Asian countries (particularly the more powerful ones) may think that open war can be justified, as a matter of practical utility, avoiding it is likely to be more effective in achieving the goals of a given conflict.

中文翻译：

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东海和南海海上争端的解决和升级：同一个硬币的两个方面？

我们对当代国际政治的性质和行为的假设深刻影响了我们如何看待困扰东海和南海的海洋争端。在本文中，我们对影响东亚海洋争端程度和解决可能性的推拉因素的分析表明，战争既不是原则上反对的，也不是完全禁止的。在该地区海上紧张局势加剧的情况下，我们认为维持复杂相互依存关系的潜在力量是阻止敌对国家参与受现实主义启发的零和战争的原因。然而，这并不是说经济上的相互依存创造了完全消除这些闪点的绝对力量，也不是说它忠实地反映了东亚的海上政治现实。