南海仲裁案對「洋中群島」整體性概念分析

The Analysis of Mid-Ocean Archipelagos in the South China Sea Arbitration

「洋中群島」（mid-ocean archipelagos）一直是第三次海洋法會議上，各國在立法過程中爭執的焦點之一。對大陸國家而言，是否能比照等同於群島國家，在離岸較遠處的群島，採用類似群島基線的畫法，畫設該洋中群島之基線，然倘該洋中群島基線所包覆之水域不適用群島水域，而適用內水制度，則有過分擴張海洋權益之嫌。2013年菲律賓提出「南海仲裁案」，試圖透過仲裁方式與中國解決南沙與黃岩島爭執，當中涉及1982年《聯合國海洋法公約》第121條島嶼制度、低潮高地問題、填海造陸涉及海洋環境汙染、以及採取軍事武力手段解決爭端等問題。不過，仲裁庭在做出南沙群島均無法主張專屬經濟海域或大陸礁層的同時，也宣告：「《公約》並未規定如南沙群島的一系列島嶼可以作為一個整體共同產生海洋區域。」換言之，倘未來南沙群島任一聲索國，欲採用中國在西沙群島畫設基線之方法畫設南沙群島基線，均不符合《公約》規定。 The claims of mid-ocean archipelagos of the continental states were discussed in the session of the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS-III). The rights and obligations of the continental states, as well as the archipelagic states, in drawing baselines and, on the other hand, discusses the guaranteed rights of the international community within waters enclosed by these baselines. In 2013 South China Sea Arbitration, the Philippines tried to resolve Spratly and Scarborough Shoal disputes with China and the arbitration concerns disputes between the Parties regarding the legal basis of maritime rights and entitlements in the SCS, the status of certain geographic features in the SCS, and the lawfulness of certain actions taken by China in the SCS. However, in Tribunal's view, any application of straight baselines of any claimant to the Spratly Islands in this fashion, just like China in the Paracel Islands, would be contrary to the Convention.