PRIO Network

The jurisdictional disputes in the South China Sea could be resolved in six stages

    1. Sign a bilateral treaty between China and Vietnam on the Gulf of Tonkin (done in December 2000).
    2. Establish a joint Chinese negotiation team with representatives both from the PRC and Taiwan.
    3. Strike a 'small bargain' over Scarborough Reef. China and the Philippines agree that the reef can have no more
      than 12-nm territorial waters. They shelve the sovereignty dispute to the reef, and prohibit economic activity.
    4. Use the 'small bargain' as a model for a 'big bargain' over the Spratlys and Paracels. All claimants concede that
      none of the Spratlys can have more than 12-nm territorial waters. They shelve the sovereignty dispute to the islands
      and their adjacent waters. All recognise Chinese sovereignty to the Paracels, and agree that some of the Paracels
      can have a continental shelf and 200-nm EEZ.
    5. All claimants define their continental shelf and maritime zone claims, using proper basepoints on coasts, offshore
      islands and the Paracels - but not Scarborough Reef or the Spratlys. Negotiations are held to establish median lines.
    6. All claimants transfer their alleged sovereignty to the Spratly islands to a regional authority, setting up a system of marine
      nature parks. Within the parks all economic activity is prohibited, except environment-friendly tourism. The
      Spratlys are given back to their original inhabitants: the birds, fish and turtles.

 

 

Relevant publications from the project