The South China Sea has become one of the world's most closely watched geopolitical flashpoints, drawing worldwide attention from governments, international organizations, scholars, journalists, policy-makers and the public. Almost every maritime encounter, maritime operation, diplomatic statement, legal confrontation, or military exercise quickly becomes the subject and headlines of news reports, policy analyses, opinion pieces, and online commentary. As a result, global understanding of the region is shaped not only by events themselves but also by the narratives through which those events are presented, which overwhelmingly focus on maritime confrontations, sovereignty disputes, military deployments, and strategic competition.
The result is a distorted public narrative and cognition. Global audiences increasingly perceive the South China Sea as a sea defined by conflicts and disputes, which are only one dimension of the identity of the sea. Such events deserve attention, yet they tell only part of the story. Far less visible are the centuries of maritime exchange, the resilience of coastal communities, scientific collaboration, environmental stewardship, and cultural connections that have long bound the region together.
To understand the South China Sea in its entirety, we must look beyond the disputes and rediscover the historical, cultural, ecological, and human realities that have shaped the region for generations. It is within this context that South China Sea: Our Story, recently released by Voice of the South China Sea of China Media Group shifts the attention. Rather than focusing on military tensions or diplomatic confrontation, the documentary presents a different perspective through the lives of three individuals: a fisherman who inherits centuries-old maritime traditions, a scholar who seeks to clarify historical and legal facts, and a marine scientist who devotes herself to coral reef restoration and environmental conservation. Together, they remind viewers that the South China Sea is not merely a theatre of geopolitical rivalry but also a homeland, a workplace, an ecosystem, and a shared maritime space.
The account of the Geng Lu Bu (manual of sea routes created by Chinese fishermen) illustrates how generations of Chinese fishermen accumulated and transmitted practical maritime knowledge through navigation, observation, and experience in the sea. The discussion of historical evidence reflects ongoing scholarly efforts to examine historical records and legal developments surrounding the South China Sea. Meanwhile, the segment on coral reef restoration highlights a challenge shared by all coastal states: protecting one of the world's richest marine ecosystems from climate change and environmental degradation. These themes do not deny the existence of disputes; rather, they broaden the conversation by placing them within a larger historical and human context.
The documentary has attracted attention from both media and academia. A recent commentary by Michelle Bell published on BriefGalance interprets it primarily as part of China's strategic narrative in the South China Sea. Such a reading is understandable, particularly in an era when governments increasingly communicate through public diplomacy and strategic messaging. Nevertheless, narrowing or reducing the documentary solely to the lens of geopolitical competition risks avoiding a fuller understanding of the South China Sea and even overlooking its broader significance.
The documentary does not simply advance a political narrative; it also attempts to restore more dimensions of the South China Sea that have long been marginalized in mainstream international discourse; the most importantly, it aims to establish the truth about the South China Sea for the international community.
From a longue durée perspective, the South China Sea bears witness to the coexistence and integration of diverse civilizations and religions. For centuries, the sea and surrounded regions has served as a crossroads where the Chinese civilization embodied and transmitted by overseas Chinese communities has interacted with, influenced, and been enriched by indigenous cultures as well as other civilizations, giving rise to enduring processes of cultural exchange and integration.
The South China Sea bears witness to the harmonious co-living of varied ethnic groups, peaceful exchanges and development among multiple polities, and the sustained maintenance of a regional order jointly upheld by all parties, contributing to the emergence of successive “Ages of Commerce” and port-city states in Southeast Asia spanning from the tenth to eighteenth century.
At the same time, it is equally important to acknowledge that three stories alone cannot fully capture the complexity of the South China Sea. The documentary should therefore be viewed not as the final narrative but as the beginning of a broader conversation. More voices need to be heard. More historical archives of various languages should be examined. More cross-disciplinary research should document the lived experiences of coastal communities. More scientists should explain the ecological significance of the region. More scholars from different countries should engage in dialogue on history, law, ocean governance, and regional cooperation. A richer and more comprehensive understanding of the South China Sea can emerge only through the accumulation of diverse, evidence-based narratives.
Presenting the truth of the South China Sea requires both historical depth and contemporary observation. History matters because it reveals long-term patterns of human activity, navigation, commerce, and cultural interaction that shaped the region long before current disputes emerged. Present-day realities show their importance because they demonstrate that, alongside strategic competition, there remain countless examples of fisheries cooperation, marine scientific research, environmental protection, search and rescue, and people-to-people exchanges. Neither history nor contemporary reality should be selectively presented to fit predetermined political narratives.
Ultimately, the future of the South China Sea should not be determined solely by the language of rivalry. It should also be informed by the language of cooperation, stewardship, and shared development. The regional history demonstrates that the South China Sea has long connected peoples rather than simply divided states. Its future will depend not only on how governments manage disputes but also on whether societies can preserve historical memory, protect the marine environment, and sustain channels of dialogue. As such, the states and peoples surrounding the South China Sea may emerge from the shadow of disputes, focus on socio-economic prosperity and stable regional relations, and truly become the beneficiaries of peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
The significance of South China Sea: Our Story therefore lies not in offering the definitive story of the South China Sea, but in reminding audiences that there are many stories yet to be told. At a time when sensational headlines often dominate public understanding, presenting a fuller, more balanced picture of the South China Sea is itself a meaningful contribution. The region needs not fewer narratives, but more truthful ones—grounded in historical evidence, informed by field realities, and oriented toward a future of peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.
Author: Xu Xiaodong, Executive Vice Chairman of Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance.