This seven-chapter book examines the background to and consequences of the disputed occupation of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands group of the South China Sea (SCS) by the People's Republic of China (PRC), from the mid-1990s to the present day. Although Mischief Reef has received significant media attention and has been discussed in academic journal articles and policy research reports, no books on the topic have appeared since a 30-page publication in 1996. By covering the topic in historical, domestic political, legal, economic, strategic, and geo-political terms, this book not only fills a gap on a particularly important issue with global consequences, but also acts as a follow-on to a previous Palgrave book by this author on another maritime dispute, Socotra Rock. This book will be of interest to journalists, scholars and legal theorists researching the implications of China's rise for maritime disputes in East Asia.

This book exclusively addresses the political, historical and important contemporary strategic implications of the decades-long Socotra Rock dispute between China and South Korea. It is one of several maritime disputes involving China and a smaller state, and for which maritime law offers no apparent remedy. There is little doubt it will continue to be a problem in the future and should no longer be overlooked. The submerged rock, located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, straddles the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. As China continues asserting its sovereignty and jurisdiction in maritime areas, this book will provide food for thought for scholars, think-tank researchers, and policymakers.