Ocean Development & International Law · 2010 · 22 citations · 0 references
LawInternational LawInternational RelationsCoastal GeographyCoastal Zone ManagementLaw Of The SeaContinental ShelfCross-border Regional CooperationMaritime BordersMaritime DelimitationMaritime ZonesOcean GovernanceCross-strait RelationsJurisdictional Limits In StraitsMaritime Boundary AgreementsMaritime Boundary DisputesOuter Continental Shelf LimitsSovereignty Over The Territorial SeaTerritorial Sea BoundariesTerritorial Sea Claims
As a semi-enclosed sea, the South China Sea is the location of conflicts and disputes arisen from intra-regional claims by bordering States over various insular features and the surrounding waters and from extra-regional interests projected in the region. Regional cooperation is an approach called for by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to address potential conflicts and disputes in semi-enclosed seas. The submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) by two bordering States and the improved cross-Strait relations between Taiwan and China are two recent developments that have implications for stability and cooperation in the region. This article provides a background to these developments and highlights the assessments on the situation and prospects of the South China Sea presented by articles in this and the next Special Issue.