December 8, 2014

"Last week the US State Department released a useful report on China's maritime claims in the South China Sea. As M Taylor Fravel tweeted, it is a must-read for anyone interested in maritime security, the law of the sea, or China's foreign policy.

The report focuses on China's so-called 'nine-dashed line' and the different interpretations of what China may be seeking to claim through it. What makes this issue particularly difficult is that China hasn't specified its maritime claims. So the report examines three possible interpretations of the dashed-line claim (as a claim to islands; as a national boundary; as a historic claim) and whether they are consistent with the international law of the sea."

Read more:

http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2014/12/08/US-State-Department-assesses-Chinas-nine-dashed-line.aspx?COLLCC=531193984&