This Bachelor study discusses the subject of South China Sea Dispute and the territorial conflict between the Philippines and China. The conflict is based on the claims from both countries; in 2012 the Philippines filed a case against China which sparked an uprising in confrontations. To accomplish this study, theories of Offensive realism and Liberalism of international relations has been applied. They are the framework of the study because of their differences in describing ways to act and how to handle state-relations.

This study has shown how these countries have taken different approaches in ways of acting and how a great power-country can enforce their agenda through other means than military. The conclusion of the study, based on the theory of liberalism and offensive realism, is that China and the Philippines have same agendas in defending their claims but have different means to act.