South China Sea after the Philippines v. China Arbitration

Abstract

The South China Sea encompasses the Straits of Malacca, one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. It is also one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity areas, with abundant and diverse marine resources. On 12 July 2016, the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague handed down its Final Award on the Philippines v. China arbitration (South China Sea Arbitration). The Award attracted much attention across the globe. The arbitration was very disappointing from a Chinese perspective and a great victory for the Philippines. The South China Sea, however, is not only about China and the Philippines. Ten coastal States surround the sea area. Six of which have competing claims in the sea area. Leading economies like Japan, Korea and Australia also rely heavily on the South China Sea as a key trade route. While the South China Sea Arbitration sheds light on some legal issues it also generates further questions.