earticle

영어

Freedom and safety of navigation in the South China Sea is a complicated and sensitive issue concerning politics, economy, military affairs, diplomacy and law. The authors have studied the issue mainly from the legal perspective, using international law instruments such as the Charter of the United Nations and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The authors first reviewed the evolution of the concept of freedom of navigation, analysed the navigation regime under the UNCLOS, and then concluded that the hot issue of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is essentially an issue of navigation freedom in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). On the basis of this conclusion, the authors continued to analyse the legal status of the EEZs, study the exercise of navigation freedom in the EEZs, and discuss factors affecting free and safe navigation in the South China Sea. Finally they have offered suggestions to sustain navigation freedom and safety in the South China Sea.