Over the past decade, the number of news reports covering the South China Sea maritime and territorial disputes has risen significantly. Given the number of clashes since the disputes began in 1956 as well as the increased frequency of news coverage for those incidents suggests that the media has begun to play a greater role in the conflict. This paper seeks to address what role the Chinese media has played in securitizing the South China Sea disputes in recent years. Specifically, how has the media begun to securitize the disputes? Drawing on news media theories, I argue that the role Chinese media plays in securitizing the South China Sea dispute is not only growing, but is becoming a more important factor in how the dispute might play out in the future especially since there have been efforts to securitize the issue both within China and outside yet for different reasons.
