Sharing the Resources of the South China Sea

The South China Sea disputes continue to confuse and confound policymakers. The claims of all of the countries involved - China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei - have serious weaknesses under the principles of international law that govern the issues. In this text, the authors survey the principles that appear to guide the nations of the South China Sea region in their regional relations, and they identify the appropriate objectives of a regional resource authority. They also identify the political realities of the region, which serve as constraints on the design of a regime.