Basepoints and Equity: Drawing a line in the South China Sea
Robin Cleverly Marbdy Consulting Ltd
New Approaches to the South China Sea Conflicts University Of Oxford, 19-20th October, 2017 Maritime Zones: straight and Taiwan archipelagic baselines PR China Territorial Sea
S O U T H C H I N A S E A
Vietnam
Philippines Internal water
Brunei Sabah Archipelagic water
Indonesia Malaysia 1 200M Limits from Taiwan Mainlands PR China
Area >200M
Vietnam
Philippines 200M EEZ + Continental Shelf
Brunei Sabah
Indonesia Malaysia 2 Bathymetry Very deep ocean >5000m
Deep ocean >4000m
Intermediate shelf ~2000m
Shallow shelf ~100m
3 Outer Continental Shelf Taiwan
PR China
Oceanic crust
Vietnam
Philippines
Brunei
Indonesia Malaysia 4 Outer Continental Shelf Taiwan
PR China Oceanic Vietnam’s crust Partial Submission
Malaysia/Vietnam Vietnam Joint Submission
Philippines
Brunei
Indonesia Malaysia 5 Outer Continental Shelf Taiwan
PR China
Possible area beyond CS
Outer Continental Shelf >200M
Vietnam
Philippines 200M EEZ + Continental Shelf
Brunei Sabah
Indonesia Malaysia 6 South China Sea: Islands Taiwan Prata Island
PR China
Paracel Islands Scarborough Reef
Vietnam
Spratly Islands
Philippines
Brunei Sabah
Indonesia Malaysia 7 200M EEZ from all features Taiwan Prata Island
PR China
Scarborough Paracel Reef Islands
Vietnam
Spratly Islands Philippines
Brunei
Indonesia Malaysia 19 Law of the Sea Convention: Regime of Islands
Article 121: Regime of islands 1. An island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide. 2. Except as provided for in paragraph 3, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf of an island are determined in accordance with the provisions of this Convention applicable to other land territory. 3. Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
8 Island Features in the South China Sea
Island
Rock Artificial island
Sand cay = rock?
9 Island Features in the South China Sea
12M 200M?
12M only
12M only Nothing! 10 Subi Reef – low-tide elevation
1867 HMS Rifleman Survey
11 Subi Reef – low-tide elevation
DecJuneOctober 20162016 2005 SatelliteSatellite Satellite ImageryImagery Imagery 12 Subi Reef: December 2016
13 Thitu Island and Reefs
Sandy Cay
Island
1867 HMS Rifleman Survey
14 Thitu Island and Reefs
Sandy Cay
Sandy Cay
Island
Thitu Island
15 Thitu Island and Subi Reef Entitlements Sandy Cay Island
(Philippines)
Low-tide elevation
Subi Reef
(China) 16 Gaven Reef (North)
17 Gaven Reef (North)
18 Rules for drawing boundaries
• Territorial Sea (article 15): • equidistance/special circumstances • Continental Shelf/EEZ (articles 74/83) • Equitable principles
Three Stage process 1. Draw equidistance 2. Adjust for relevant circumstances 3. Check for equity and proportionality
22 Status of small features in delimitation
Feature Entitlement Role in Delimitation Fully entitled island TS, CZ, EEZ, CS Full or, more likely, reduced weight Small Island/Rock TS, CZ Reduced weight/enclave Low-tide elevation TS, CZ Probably nil (<12M of island) (BD/India = nil) Isolated low-tide Nil -not capable Nil elevation (>12M) of appropriation
23 Nicaragua vs Colombia
Serranilla Bajo Nuevo
Quitasueño
Serrana
Roncador S Catalina Providencia
San Andres Albuquerque
COSTA COLOMBIA RICA
PANAMA
24 Colombia’s Islands and Cays San Andrés Quitasueño
Quitasueño Serrana
25 Colombia’s proposal
Serranilla Bajo Nuevo
Quitasueño
Serrana
Roncador S Catalina Providencia
San Andres
Albuquerque
Median line
COSTA COLOMBIA RICA
PANAMA
26 Nicaragua vs Colombia: ICJ Judgment (2012)
Serranilla 12M Bajo Nuevo Enclaves
Quitasueño
Serrana
Roncador Weighted S Catalina Median line Providencia
San Andres
Median line
COSTA COLOMBIA RICA
PANAMA
27 12M zones for small Taiwan islands and rocks Prata Island
PR China
Scarborough Paracel Reef Islands
Vietnam
Spratly Islands Philippines
Brunei
Indonesia Malaysia 28 A Solution? Taiwan Prata Island
PR China
CS median >200M
Scarborough Paracel Reef Islands
Vietnam
Spratly Islands Philippines Agreed Median
Indonesia Malaysia 29 Interim Practical Taiwan Prata Solution? Island
PR China
Scarborough Paracel Reef Islands
Vietnam
Spratly Islands Philippines
50M zones Brunei
Indonesia Malaysia 30