A fortuitous result of the emerging information age is that new instruments for supporting conflict prevention and resolution are becoming widely available. This book examines how a new information technology -- commercial observation satellites capable of collecting high-resolution images -- could be used to mitigate the risk of regional conflict arising from the territorial disputes over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Although information technologies are unlikely to resolve the complex sovereignty disputes over the Spratlys, they do offer diplomats and defense planners a potentially important instrument for reducing the risk that political competition for the Spratlys will inadvertently escalate into armed conflict. Commercial and civilian satellite imagery also could provide a basis for greater cooperation on regional problems, such as monitoring environmental problems or combating maritime piracy, where the littoral states of the South China Sea have common interests despite their other political disagreements.

Introduction / John C. Baker and David G. Wiencek -- The Spratly Islands dispute / Christopher C. Joyner -- Energy issues in the South China Sea region / Erik Kreil -- Security risks of a South China Sea conflict / David G. Wiencek and John C. Baker -- Commercial observation satellites for conflict avoidance / John C. Baker -- Cooperative remote monitoring in the South China Sea / Vipin Gupta and Adam Bernstein -- Remote sensing capabilities and experience available to the South China Sea littoral states / Bradford L. Thomas and John C. Baker -- A cooperative monitoring regime for the South China Sea / John C. Baker and David G. Wiencek -- Environmental remote sensing of the South China Sea / Douglas O. Fuller -- Contemporary Maritime piracy in Southeast Asia / Peter Chalk -- Conclusions / John C. Baker and David G. Wiencek.