The South China Sea disputes : how States can clarify their maritime claims

Abstract

One of the sources of tension in the South China Sea is that the maritime claims of the claimant States are

ambiguous and sometimes inconsistent with UNCLOS. If the claimant States would bring their maritime claims

into strict conformity with UNCLOS, it would clarify the areas of overlapping maritime claims. This would set the

stage for negotiations between the concerned claimant States to attempt to reach provisional arrangements for

joint development agreements in the overlapping claim areas.