Basepoints and Equity:Drawing a line in the

South China Sea

Robin CleverlyMarbdy Consulting Ltd

New Approaches to the South China Sea ConflictsUniversity Of Oxford, 19-20th October, 2017

Maritime Zones:straight and archipelagic baselines

Sabah

Internal water

Territorial Sea

Archipelagic water

Vietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Brunei

Philippines

PR China

Taiwan

S O U T HC H I N A

S E A

1

200M Limits from Mainlands

Sabah

Vietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Brunei

Philippines

PR China

Taiwan

200M EEZ +Continental Shelf

Area>200M

2

Bathymetry

Shallowshelf

~100m

Deepocean>4000m

Verydeepocean>5000m

Intermediateshelf

~2000m

3

Outer Continental Shelf

Vietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Brunei

Philippines

PR China

Taiwan

Oceanic crust

4

Outer Continental Shelf

Vietnam’s Partial

Submission

Malaysia/Vietnam Joint SubmissionVietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Brunei

Philippines

PR China

Taiwan

Oceanic crust

5

Outer Continental Shelf

Sabah

Vietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Brunei

Philippines

PR China

Taiwan

200M EEZ +Continental Shelf

OuterContinental

Shelf >200M

Possible area beyond CS

6

South China Sea: Islands

Brunei

PR China

Taiwan

ParacelIslands

SpratlyIslands

PrataIsland

ScarboroughReef

Sabah

Vietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Philippines

7

200M EEZ from all features

ParacelIslands

SpratlyIslands

PrataIsland

ScarboroughReef

Vietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Brunei

Philippines

PR China

Taiwan

19

Law of the Sea Convention: Regime of Islands

Article 121: Regime of islands1. An island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by

water, which is above water at high tide.2. Except as provided for in paragraph 3, the territorial sea,

the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf of an island are determined in accordance with the provisions of this Convention applicable to other land territory.

3. Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

8

Island Features in the South China Sea

Rock

Island

Sand cay = rock?

Artificial island

9

12M only

12M only Nothing!

12M200M?

10

Island Features in the South China Sea

Subi Reef – low-tide elevation

1867 HMS Rifleman Survey

11

October 2005 Satellite ImageryOctober 2005 Satellite ImageryJune 2016 Satellite ImageryDec 2016 Satellite Imagery

Subi Reef – low-tide elevation

12

Subi Reef: December 2016

13

Thitu Island and Reefs

Island

Sandy Cay

14

1867 HMS Rifleman Survey

Thitu Island and Reefs

Island

Sandy Cay

Sandy Cay

Thitu Island15

Thitu Island and Subi ReefEntitlements

Island

Low-tide elevation

Sandy Cay

Subi Reef

16(China)

(Philippines)

Gaven Reef (North)

17

Gaven Reef (North)

18

Rules for drawing boundaries

• Territorial Sea (article 15): • equidistance/special circumstances

• Continental Shelf/EEZ (articles 74/83)• Equitable principles

Three Stage process1. Draw equidistance 2. Adjust for relevant circumstances3. Check for equity and proportionality

22

Status of small features in delimitation

Feature Entitlement Role in Delimitation

Fully entitled island TS, CZ, EEZ, CS Full or, more likely,reduced weight

Small Island/Rock TS, CZ Reduced weight/enclave

Low-tide elevation (<12M of island)

TS, CZ Probably nil(BD/India = nil)

Isolated low-tide elevation (>12M)

Nil -not capable of appropriation

Nil

23

Nicaragua vs Colombia

COLOMBIA

PANAMA

COSTARICA

San Andres

S CatalinaProvidencia

Serrana

Serranilla Bajo Nuevo

Roncador

Albuquerque

Quitasueño

24

Colombia’s Islands and CaysSan Andrés

Quitasueño

QuitasueñoSerrana

25

Colombia’s proposal

COLOMBIA

PANAMA

COSTARICA

San Andres

S CatalinaProvidencia

Serrana

Serranilla Bajo Nuevo

Roncador

Albuquerque

Median line

Quitasueño

26

Nicaragua vs Colombia: ICJ Judgment (2012)

COLOMBIA

PANAMA

COSTARICA

San Andres

S CatalinaProvidencia

Serrana

Serranilla Bajo Nuevo

Roncador

Median line

Quitasueño

12M Enclaves

Weighted Median line

27

12M zones for small islands and rocks

ParacelIslands

SpratlyIslands

PrataIsland

ScarboroughReef

Vietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Brunei

Philippines

PR China

Taiwan

28

A Solution?

ParacelIslands

SpratlyIslands

PrataIsland

ScarboroughReef

Vietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Philippines

PR China

Taiwan

Agreed

Median

CS median >200M

29

Interim Practical Solution?

ParacelIslands

SpratlyIslands

PrataIsland

ScarboroughReef

Vietnam

MalaysiaIndonesia

Brunei

Philippines

PR China

Taiwan

50M zones

30