中國的改革開放政策使得人民的生活水平大為提高，經濟僅次於美國躍升為全球第二大經濟體，與30年前剛結束文化大革命的面貌，完全不可同日而語。然而在南海區域中，除中國宣稱擁有主權外，尚有台灣、越南、馬來西亞、印尼、菲律賓、汶萊等均宣稱擁有臨海主權，目前大多以維持現狀為主，並未採取軍事行動爭奪。其實以往主權爭議一直存在，但是在這個富藏資源的南海地區，爭奪能源和資源是各方主要的考量。因此，當中國宣稱擁有幾乎全部南海主權，甚至包括接近鄰邦沿岸的水域在內時，菲律賓和越南不但時時指控中國當局的無理與霸道，而在伸張領土主權方面的作為，也愈來愈挑釁中國。雖然在中國方面，曾多次表達願與東協國家（The Association of Southeast Asian Nations，ASEAN）在條件成熟時，探討制定南海區域的行為準則（Conduct Code），但因部分國家試圖拉攏外力介入南海問題，將南海問題多邊化、國際化，導致南海區域危機潛伏，南海談判更難以進行。引起筆者好奇的是中國面對南海領土(海)的主權爭議作為，提倡擱置爭議、共同開發，是否如溫特建構主義模式，國家不會使用暴力解決利益衝突，而是如朋友般相互幫助，以和平方式解決爭議？

However, in the South China Sea region, in addition to China's claim of sovereignty, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brunei all claim to have coastal sovereignty. Currently, most of them maintain the status quo and do not take any military action to fight for it. In fact, sovereignty disputes have existed in the past. Nevertheless, competition for energy and resources is the major consideration of all parties in this resource-rich South China Sea region. Therefore, when China claims to have almost all the sovereignty of the South China Sea and even includes waters close to the coasts of neighboring countries, the Philippines and Vietnam not only accuse the Chinese authorities of their unjustifiable requests and arbitrary, but they are even more provocative in their efforts to assert territory and sovereignty. China has repeatedly stated that it would like to discuss with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the formulation of the Conduct Code in the South China Sea region when conditions are ripe. Nonetheless, due to some countries' attempts to introduce foreign powers to intervene in the South China Sea so as to multilateralize and internationalize the South China Sea issue, it has led to a potential crisis in the South China Sea region, making it more difficult for the South China Sea negotiations to proceed. This author is wondering that if China's sovereignty disputes over the South China Sea's territory (sea), Its promotion to leave the disputes aside and joint development is like Wendt's constructivism model that the state will not use violence to settle down the disputes of interest, but rather solve the dispute by peaceful means just like friends helping each other.