英文摘要 |
Nearly all of the coastal states in the South China Sea area have ratified the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 LOSC), with the exception of the Republic of China (Taiwan, ROC), Thailand, and Cambodia. Most of the countries in the area have enacted domestic maritime legislation in accordance with the provisions contained in the 1982 LOSC. Which declare for instance a 12 nautical mile territorial boundary and a 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The ROC and the People's Republic of China (PRC) enacted the Law on the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Continental Shelf in December 1997 and June 1998 respectively. However, there are discrepancies between maritime claims of the countries in the area and the 1982 LOSC. These discrepancies have been challenged as 'excessive maritime claims', which include excessively straight baselines, and demand for prior permission for warships to enter territorial waters, since 1979, the United States has responded to the 'excessive maritime claims' in different parts of the world through the Freedom of Navigation Program. The purpose of this article is to study the U.S. reaction to the historic waters claims of the PRC, the ROC, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The article concludes that the United States would be forced to take action in response to the PRC's excessive maritime claims if freedom and right of navigation and over-flight in the area were disrupted by the claimants. This article also concludes by suggesting that the United States should join those challenging these 'excessive maritime claims.' |