SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE

South China Sea

o Location: South China Sea is an arm of western Pacific Ocean in Southeast

Asia. It is south of China, east & south of Vietnam, west of the Philippines and
north of the island of Borneo.

 It is connected by Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by Luzon

Strait with the Philippine Sea.
o Bordering states & territories (clockwise from north): the People’s Republic of
China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei,
Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.

NINE DASH LINE

 Was established in 1947 ( People Republic Of China
was established in 1949)
 China claims that all the area including islands within
the nine dash line belongs to it.
 But the nine dash line is interfering with the Exclusive
Economic Zone of other countries like Vietnam,
Philippines etc.

UNCLOS (UNITED NATION CONVENTION ON LAW OF

THE SEAS)

 Formed on 10 December 1982.

 It is an international agreement that provides legal
framework for maritime activities and resolves sea
disputes.
 Formed after UNCLOS III ( UNITED NATION
CONFERENCE ON LAW OF SEAS)
 168 members ( 167 countries + European Union)

Territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ)

 EEZ – upto 200 nautical miles
 Territorial waters – upto 12 nautical miles

THREE MAIN ISLAND GROUPS

 PARCELS ISLAND
 SPRATLYS ISLAND
 SCARBOROUGH SHOAL

CHINA CLAIMS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NINE

DASH LINE AND ALL THE ISLANDS BELONGS TO IT
BECAUSE OF THE HISTORICAL RECORDS.

PHILIPPINES CLAIM SPRATLYS AND SCARBOROUGH

ISLANDS.

VIETNAM CLAIMS PARACELS AND SPRATLYS ISLANDS.

IN 2016, PHILIPPINES FILED AN ARBITRATION CASE

AGAINST CHINA IN PERMANENT COURT OF
ARBITRATION FOR SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE AND
CHINA’s CLAIMS.

RULING OF THE COURT

 China's historic rights claims over maritime areas inside
the "nine-dash line" have no lawful effect if they exceed
what is entitled to under UNCLOS

 There was no legal basis for China to claim historic

rights to resources within the sea areas falling within
"nine-dash line"

 However it did not clarify any sovereignty over land or

sea.

 CHINA AND TAIWAN BOTH REJECTED THE

RULINGS.

Permanent Court of Arbitration has its headquarters

in HAGUE, NETHERLANDS.