海洋法中低潮高地的领土属性及其确定规则

低潮高地是随着现代海洋法的发展而逐渐形成的概念。低潮高地与岛屿概念的剥离以及沿海国管辖权的扩张,引发了低潮高地的领土属性争议。占有虽然是与低潮高地领土属性密切相关的概念,但并非其判断标准。现阶段条约规则从侧面映射了低潮高地的领土属性,而司法实践并未在该问题上形成一致的态度和做法。低潮高地领土属性的确定规则,应从领土法和海洋法的双重视角加以审视,同时也必然要求将不同地理形态的低潮高地,置于海洋法所确立的不同性质的海洋区域中考虑。南海仲裁庭对南海各岛礁单独定性的做法无视南海群岛的整体性,因此在确定其领土属性问题上存在严重谬误。

The Territoriality of Low-tide Elevations in the Law of the Sea and the Rules of its Determination

The conception of low-tide elevation has come into existence with the development of the modern law of the sea.The separation of the conceptions of low-tide elevations and islands and the expansion of coastal states’ jurisdiction triggered the dispute concerning the territoriality of low-tide elevations.Although possession is closely related to the notion of low-tide elevations’ territoriality,it is not decisive criteria.In the current phrase,the treaty rules reflect the low-tide elevations’ territoriality from the side,while the judicial practice has not led to the development of consensus on this problem.The rules of determination on the low-tide elevations’ territoriality should be reviewed from the double perspectives of the law of the territory and the law of the sea.They also require that low-tide elevations with different geographic status should be considered in the background of different maritime zones established by the law of the sea.The South China Sea Arbitration Tribunal determined the islands,rocks and low-tide elevations separately,ignored the entirety of the islands in the South China Sea,and thus made serious mistakes in determining its territoriality.