A study of international think-tanks views
on the South China Sea Arbitration 2013-2016

This report is based on a systematical study of articles related to the South China Sea Arbitration published by over 100 international think tanks between 2013 and 2016. The study used Grandview’s database of views on China’s maritime affairs by international think tanks. It identifies the cognitive changes toward the South China Sea Arbitration case based on four aspects: attitude towards China, content focus, changes of views and author’s background etc. The report suggests the periods international public opinions had passed through: latent period, studying and judging period, emerging period and ending period. Each period reflects the particular political context and the interference and manipulation of the United States. This report reveals the political purposes behind the case of South China Sea Arbitration, providing the Chinese government with positive suggestions to properly face this case.