(HYBRID) Does China Have a Valid Claim to the Greater South China Sea? - Debate
Details
The South China Sea, along with the adjacent Taiwan Strait, is commonly considered a flash point in the Western Pacific region. A military conflict there between the two superpowers—the United States and China—would be, as some envisage, how the WWIII starts.
The South China Sea is a lifeline for global trade and a reservoir of resources. China’s territorial claim to the vast part of it, with its “nine-dash line,” and the US’s “pivot to Asia” make this marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean a hotspot of great-power competition.
Robert Whitley and Eric Mao are set to square off in a debate over whether China has a valid claim to the greater South China Sea, moderated by Hermioni Zouridis. Eric defends the validity of China’s claim; Robert opposes it.
Robert Whitley
Robert Whitley has been a Geopolitical Forum member since early 2024 and has this year completed, with honor, his B.A. in International Relations & Global Security with a concentration in Middle Eastern Studies from American Public University. Robert is currently studying at the University of Aberdeen for a Master's of Science in International Relations. He is also a seasoned custom broker that has been working in international trade logistics for the past 27 years.
Eric Mao
Founder of the Geopolitical Forum, Eric Mao is an analyst and writer of international affairs. He writes on Substack under @ericshepherdmao and has a presence on X as @ShepherdMao. He is the author of Diversity the Modern Fetish and Equality in the Guise of Ideal, published in 2018.
Hermioni Zouridis is a data scientist with a passion for uncovering insights through data to drive real-world impact. She holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and has a strong background in oncology research, where she used high-throughput biological data to discover novel cancer subtypes.
Her industry experience includes leading data and AI solutions at AstraZeneca, where she partnered with tech startups to solve complex pharmaceutical challenges. She now specializes in data visualization, bioinformatics, and using real-world datasets—such as Airbnb data—to support strategic investment decisions.
In addition to her technical work, Dr. Zouridis serves as Director of a nonprofit dedicated to helping college women successfully transition into STEM careers. As a curious newbie to geopolitics, she is interested in how to use data to cut through headlines, uncover deeper patterns, and bring clarity to complex global dynamics.
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(HYBRID) Does China Have a Valid Claim to the Greater South China Sea? - Debate