Recent Development in the South China Sea: Reclamation, Navigation and Arbitration
Yan YAN National Institute for South China Sea Studies, China
Brussels June 16 , 2016 Outline
• 1. South China Sea – Origin and China’s Claim
• 2. Reclamation in the Nansha Islands (Spratlys)
• 3. Philippines v. China Arbitration
• 4. Freedom and Safety of Navigation
• 5. The Way Forward The South China Sea
Geographical location
Four island groups
230+ features of Nansha Islands
Territorial sovereivnty
Maritime delimitation WWII Recovery of SCS features
Nanwei Island Zhongye Island (Spratly Island) (Thitu Island)
1946 Zhongye China’s 1948 U-shaped Line 1946 Naval warship & naval Map Officer reclaimed officer SCS islands Causes of the Dispute 60s-70s
Geostrategic importance of the SCS
Discovery of natural resources
Geopolitical environment Cold War
Negotiation of the UNCLOS UNCLOS and the SCS
Freedom of United Nations Navigation Convention on the Law Dispute Settlement of the Sea
Resources Management Marine Environmental Historic Concepts Protection
Island Regimes Recent Development of the SCS
Reclamation in the Spratlys
Freedom and Safety of Navigation
Light House on the Chi Gu 5 Arbitrators a Reef (Johnson Reef) China-Philippine Arbitration Case
USS destroyer Lassen Reclamation: For the past 50 years
Vietnam: Spratly Island, Southwest Cay, Sin Cowe Island, Sand Cay, West Reef, Pearson Reef, Central Reef, Grierson Reef, Cornwallis South Reef
China: Cuarteron Reef,Fiery Cross Reef, Gaven Reef, Hughes Reef, Johnson Reef, Mischief Reef, Subi Reef, Itu Aba (Taipei)
The Philippines: Thitu Island, Swallow Reef 弹丸礁
Malaysia: Swallow Reef Reclamation: For the past 40 years
Thitu Island 中业岛 Sin Cowe Island 景宏岛 Johnson Reef 赤瓜礁 China vs Philippines Arbitration
2013.1.22 • Philippines initiate the abitration
2013.02.19 • China rejected note verbale
2014.12.07 • China: Position Paper
2015.07.07 • Hearing on Jurisdiction and Admissibility 5 Arbitrators
2015.10.29 • Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility
2015.11.24 • Hearing on the Merits+remaining issues
2016.03.26 • Taiwan: Amicus Curiae
2016.06.08 • China: Statement of the Arbitration
Nov 30th 2015 Merits Heari ng The Philippines:15 Submissions
• Submission 1,2 : China’s nine-dash line 1 and historic rights without lawful effect
• Submission 3.4.5.6.7: Legal Status of 9 2 insular features
• Submission 8,9,10,13: China’s law 3 enforcement activities unlawful
• Submission 11, 12,14: Rights and Merits Hearing Session 1 4 Obligation given by the UNCLOS Award
The Tribunal has jurisdiction to Submissions No 3,4,6,7,10,11,13
Leave to the Merits Phase: Submission No 1,2,5,8,9,12,14
The Philippines clarify the content and narrow the scope of Submission Arbitrators in the Merits Heari ng 15 China: Position Paper and Statements
China and the Philippines agree to settle dispute through bilateral negotiation.
The two states have never conducted any negotiation on the subject-matters of the arbitration.
The essence of the subject –matter of the arbitration is territorial sovereignty dispute.
The subject-matter is also an integral part of maritime delimitation, excluded by China’s 2006 Declaration. Foreign Ministry spokspers on Hong Lei speaks at a ro utine press briefing Nov 2 5, 2015 Challenges to Navigation in the South China Sea
Source: International Maritime Bureau US Freedom of Navigation in the SCS
USS Curtis Wilber
USS destroyer William P. Lawrence
USS destroyer Lassen The Way Forward
1. Lack of trust with unresolved sovereignty disputes 2. DOC-COC negotiation 3. Maritime Cooperation – From the less- sensitive areas 4. Territorial and maritime delimitation dispute – must be solved by the claimant states Application of UNCLOS to the South China Sea Dispute Thank You