Vol. 8, No. 1, March 2023: 89 - 96 Jurnal Wacana Politik - ISSN 2502 - 9185 : E-ISSN: 2549-2969 DOI: 10.24198/jwp.v8i1.44922 Submited: 28 January 2023, Accepted: 01 March 2023, Publish: 06 March 2023 INTERNATIONAL SECURITY BASED ON THE UNITED STATES RESPONSE POST TO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA CLAIM BY THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Muhammad Budiana 1 and Yusa Djuyandi 2 1 International Relations, Pasundan University, Bandung, Indonesia 2 Social and Political Sciences, Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia E-mail: m_budiana70@unpas.ac.id; yusa.djuyandi@unpad.ac.id ABSTRACT. Conficts and tensions in the South China Sea are getting bigger after the People’s Republic of China claimed control over the Spratly and Paracel Islands and the waters that intersect with most of the countries in Southeast Asia. China’s eforts to place military forces on the two islands and the intensifcation of their ship patrols in the waters of the South China Sea indicate that China wants to strengthen its claims and hegemony, although of course these claims immediately receive a response from countries whose borders intersect in the South China Sea, mainly ASEAN member countries. This research used a descriptive qualitative research method. The source of the data for this research consists of secondary data which is gained from reports or media coverage that examine security issues in the South China Sea. Various data that have been obtained are then checked for validity through data validation techniques, where this technique carried out through triangulation of data or sources. As a superpower, the United States does not remain silent but participates in balancing security for countries that feel they are being claimed. Because what China has done is considered to have the potential to limit the rights and freedoms of the international community in using the waters in the South China Sea as their trade access, the United States and its allies who are members of AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States) are indeed pushing for the principle of freedom of navigation. On this basis, the United States took steps to address the problems and tensions in the South China Sea. The legal umbrella used by the United States is the same as that used by ASEAN countries, namely based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the International Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). Keywords: Security; South China Sea; United States Response; ASEAN INTRODUCTION In international relations, conficts in country borders often occur between one country and another. One of the border conficts that has been going on for a long time is the South China Sea confict. It is a long-term dispute involving many countries, namely China, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, and Malaysia. These countries are controversial about this area because it has a lot of natural resources, such as marine life, oil, and other mineral resources. Based on historical factors, each country also has good reasons for requesting the declaration of several confict areas (Macaraig & Fenton, 2021; Saiidi, 2018). This region is one of the busiest international trade routes and a strategic link between the Pacifc and the Indian Ocean. The needs of the countries in confict will disturb these waters. Therefore, Vietnam and the Philippines oblige the United States to provide assistance to participate in the confict resolution process in the South China Sea. The Philippines and Vietnam are arguably China’s strongest opponents in this confict. The Philippines claims that eight Chinese fshing boats were caught illegally in its waters. This is one of the biggest potential conficts because 1.5 million people in the area depend on fshing and because of over-exploitation in the South China Sea, it gives rise to confict. Not only with China, but in the South China Sea. There are also maritime disputes among ASEAN member countries, the resolution of which is currently still the top priority for countries in Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The emergence of maritime disputes in the South China Sea is not only caused by threats to sovereignty but also the economic potential contained therein, both related to natural resource potential and the continuity of trade transportation at sea that has been the focus of the interests of countries that dispute. Even though eforts to resolve disputes through constructive dialogue and peace agreements have been pursued through multilateral channels, the interests of the disputed countries China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, and Malaysia have brought this confict to the possibility of open conficts (Cossa, 1998). One of China’s claims to the South China Sea is based on its history. Judging from history, there is some evidence that the South China Sea, including coral reefs and rocks, has been used as a fshing ground by the Chinese community. Some say that the barbarians living in the waters south of China used pearl shells and tortoises or turtles to deliver their catch to the Xia Dynasty (2100-1600 BC) and the Han Dynasty (206-220 BC). As a tribute to the ruler. The group’s residences are believed to be in the Spratly Islands and the Paracel Islands. Archaeologist Wang Hengjie proved that the Chu State of the Spring and Autumn Period had succeeded in controlling the barbarian groups in the seas of China and asked them to send tribute in the form of hawksbill turtles