Sharing the Resources of the Sourth China Sea

All of the national claims to South China Sea area islands & ocean space have weaknesses. The dangerous & unstable state created by the unilateral actions of claimants & by the continuing opportunities for outside powers' involvement demand an appropriate measure. This book offers several possible regional interim solutions. The authors propose a regional multinational solution for part of the area because other alternatives appear impractical. Division or allocation of the features & ocean space among the competing claimants seems unfeasible because of sharp disagreements over the boundaries in dispute & over the appropriate equitable division. Serial bilateral negotiations might resolve some conflicting claims but would leave or create others; they also present problems of cost & efficiency. An institutionalized dialogue would add structure & stability to the discussions, & confidence-building measures (CBMs) could help move the situation forward, but neither would suffice as a solution. The creation of a regional multilateral resource management body could reduce the rife regional tension, however. Many international & regional precedents provide valuable lessons for regime-building in the South China Sea. The illustrations presented stimulate constructive discussion of a comprehensive multilateral interim solution to these difficult & dangerous conflicts. This book will interest & assist decision-makers, negotiators, & academics desirous of a peaceful solution to these disputes.