北極地區大陸架劃界爭議的法律問題及其應對思路

The Legal Issues in the Disputes of Continental Shelf Delimitation in the Arctic Region and Responses

隨著全球氣候的逐漸變暖，北極問題正日益引起世人的廣泛關注，以潛能巨大的北極資源為直接爭奪對象的政治及法律爭議日趨升溫。在北極問題的重要性背後，既有錯綜複雜的政治和外交因素，也涉及很多鮮明和獨特的國際法問題。而北極地區的大陸架劃界問題是近年來北極問題中最具代表性的法律問題，其對於北極地區的資源權屬分配乃至該區域的制度安排均具有重大的規範建構意義。儘管北極地區的大陸架劃界紛爭由來已久，但目前北極地區現存的200海里以內大陸架劃界糾紛基本已通過北極國家之間的雙邊劃界談判自行解決，而超過200海里的北極外大陸架劃界問題的影響範圍遠遠超出這一問題本身和北極地域範圍的限制，具有高度的戰略意義。夯實北極問題國際化的法理基礎、擴大北極議題對話圈以及適度參考《南極條約》，或有助於北極地區大陸架劃界爭議難題的解決。而在此進程之中，中國無論是依據自身在北極地區所享有的合法權利、客觀存在的現實利益，還是出於國際道義責任方面的考量，中國均需積極參與與之相關的北極事務，盡力優化北極區域治理的國際合作效果。

With global warming, the Arctic issues are attracting increasing attention of the world. There is a heated debate on the politic and legal topics directly surrounding the huge potential Arctic resources. Underlying the Arctic issues are both the complex political and diplomatic factors, and many distinctive and unique international law issues. The delimitation of the continental shelf in the Arctic region is the most typical legal issue in recent years. It is of great normative significance to construct the ownership allocation and system arrangement of Arctic resources. Although the disputes over the Arctic continental shelf delimitation have existed for a long time, the delimitation disputes of continental shelf within 200nm among Arctic States are mainly settled by bilateral boundary delimitation negotiations. However, the impacts are far beyond the problem itself and the restriction of Arctic regional scope as far as outer continental shelf delimitation disputes concerned, as a consequence, the delimitation of outer continental shelf is of most highly strategic significance. Enhancing the legal basis of Arctic affairs' internationalization, expanding the Arctic issues dialogue circle and taking proper consideration of the Antarctic Treaty, may help solving the Arctic continental shelf disputes. During this process, China should participate in relevant Arctic affairs actively, and optimize the international cooperation effect of Arctic region governance, whether based on China's legal rights and objective interests in the Arctic region, or international moral responsibility considerations.