GUO Yuan
(№.1,2013)
Abstract: In the early 1980’s, the Soviet Union continued strengthening its military existence in the South Sea region, but this was not in agreement with the effete status of its national strength. After the middle of the 20th century, as the relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union were amended and the relations between China and the Soviet Union were changed from confrontation to mitigation, the Soviet Union’s military base in Vietnam lost its strategic signifi cance so that it gradually withdrew troops from Vietnam and improving relations with the ASEAN countries became its inevitable choice. Then the Soviet Union adopted a not-involved policy on the South Sea disputes and didn’t reveal its attitude toward the ownership of the islands of the South Sea. However, the importantgeographical position and strategic standing of it make the successor Russia unwilling to be bystander. Russia will
certainly return to Southeast Asia and show great concern over the South Sea issues under the conditions of its own strength increased.
Key words: Soviet Union; policy on the South Sea; existence of infl uence; ownership of territory
