“Bull tongue-shaped line” causes complexity in the East Sea

The Vietnam National Boundary Commission comments that the “bull tongue-shaped line” claimed by China is the cause that gives rise to tension and complexity in the East Sea, and that China demands other countries to seek its permit for oil and gas exploitation in the East Sea is irrational.

18/01/2012

Weekly News 30/1 – 6/2

-(The-diplomat 4/2) Beijing’s South China Sea Gamble: If China is right, then there is enough oil under the South China Sea to feed global consumption for several years. But Beijing may be making an aggressive bet on the wrong horse -(Scmp 4/2) A tale of two unequal treaties: The Philippines' recent talks with US officials were aimed at securing a firm defence commitment, which has been reaffirmed...

30/01/2012

The South China Sea: Cooperation for Regional Security and Development, by Hasjim Djalal

The efforts to develop cooperation for regional security and development, so far, has involved some formal approach of ASEAN and some informal approach by academic institutions and some informal unofficial approach by some South China Sea officials in their personal capacities. The formal approach has resulted in the Declaration of Conduct by the Foreign Minister of ASEAN and China in 2002 as well...

02/02/2012

Resolution to Fishery Disputes in the South China Sea through Regional Cooperation and Management, by Kuan-Hsiung Wang

The disputes in the South China Sea could be categorized into two parts: one is on the sovereignty of those island features, and the other is the maritime zones that could be claimed. It is understandable that the best way to solve the disputes might be delimiting boundaries so that the areas of sovereignty and jurisdiction could be decided. However, such situation is not always possible. It is mainly...

02/02/2012

Regional Cooperation in the South China Sea, by Jon M. Van Dyke

The Duty to Cooperate in Semi-Enclosed Seas             The South China Sea is a semi-enclosed sea governed by Part IX of the Law of the Sea Convention,[1] which says in Article 123 that countries bordering such seas “should co-operate with each other in the exercise of their rights and the performance of their duties under this Convention”  More specifically, they are instructed to “endeavor,...

02/02/2012

A Bilateral Network of Marine Protected Areas between Vietnam and China: An Alternative to the Chinese Unilateral Fishing Ban in the South China Sea?, by Hai-Dang Vu

Since 1999, China has enacted an annual fishing ban for two or three months in the summer in the North-Western part of the South China Sea. This year (2011), the ban took place from May 16th to August the 1st and in an area between the latitude 12° North to the North and longitude 113° East to the West.[1]Any fishing vessel that goes into this area during the banis subjected to fines and its catches...

02/02/2012

Weekly News 6/2 – 12/2

-(Scmp 8/2) Taiwan's beacon on Spratlys may stoke tensions: Taipei says air-navigation installation 'nothing to do with any weapon' or surveillance with US -(Bangkokpost 8/2) US to send second ship to bolster Philippines: As part of efforts to boost the ally's military amid tensions at sea with China -(Washingtonpost 7/2) The Pentagon’s new view of warfare: The military will be smaller and...

07/02/2012

Weekly News 13/2-19/2

-(Nbr 2/2012) Maritime Energy Resources in Asia: Legal Regimes and Cooperation NBR Reports are occasional papers on special topics conducted by the world's leading experts in Asian affairs -(Eurasiareview 14/2) South China Sea: Rising Tensions But No Permanent Solutions On Horizon: The geopolitical development of what is happening in the South China Sea will have immediate and long term consequences...

13/02/2012

Where’s the Stake? U.S. Interests in the South China Sea, by Jonathan G. Odom

Introduction Much of the legal discussion about the ongoing situation in the South China Sea focuses upon the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)[1], a convention that was concluded in 1982.  During that early 1980's timeframe, there was an iconic television commercial[2] in the United States promoting the fast-food chain of restaurants known as Wendy’s.  The commercial showed...

15/02/2012

International Law in the South China Sea: Does it drive or help resolve conflict?, by Stein Tønnesson

Abstract The interplay of power and law in the South China Sea is not well understood. To analyze the disputes over navigation rights, sovereignty to islands, and delimitation of maritime zones we need to grasp how states define and defend their geopolitical interests as well as the ways in which international law influences their claims and conflict behaviour. This paper starts with the huge difference...

15/02/2012