The Malaysian‑Philippine Maritime Dispute

Abstract

The poor knowledge of the maritime boundaries of the Sabah-SuJu maritime region is related to the unusual set of treaties delimiting the Philippines which are rather unique but con/using at the same time. This confusion is further compounded by the presence of a myriad of islands, islets and reefs in the Sabah-Sulu maritime zone where maritime boundaries have not been strictly administered in the past. The colonial treaties also clash with the provisions of the more recent 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea. If this is not an easy task for both parties to sort out then the problem in the Spratlys will be an even more difficult one because it is not confined to Malaysia and the Philippines. Apart from these two countries, China, Taiwan and Vietnam have also made claims over the Spratlys. Although maritime boundaries have been drawn by some parties in the Spratlys it is not so much a matter of delimiting the boundaries but more about claims by the contending parties over the Spratly archipelago.