Current Development Of The Ongoing Dispute Concerning The Delimitation Of The Extended Continental S

Current Development Of The Ongoing Dispute Concerning The Delimitation Of The Extended Continental Shelf In The East China Sea

Maruf, PhD, South China Sea Institute, Faculty of Law, Xiamen University, China

ABSTRACT

The East China Sea (EC Sea) is surrounded by the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and Japan. The fact that the EC Sea is no more than 400 nautical miles at its maximum breadth results in overlaps on the continental shelf claimed by each State. This paper overviews and examines the current development of the ongoing maritime dispute between China and Japan concerning the extended continental shelf in the EC Sea. It shows that this maritime dispute is mainly related to the application of different principles by China and Japan to their particular advantages. China employs the natural prolongation principle and Japan employs the median line. In addition, this maritime dispute does not only include continental shelf disputes but also disputes regarding the ownership of islands. The concept of a joint development between China and Japan had been seen as the current development of the ongoing dispute over the delimitation of the continental shelf in the EC Sea. Although progress has been made, further efforts to resolve these maritime disputes are needed in accordance with Article 83 (3) of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Keywords: Extended continental shelf; The East China Sea; Joint development; Provisional arrangement; Dispute resolution