理解南海共同开发与航行自由问题的新思路——基于国际法视角看南海争端的解决路径

南海共同开发与航行自由问题的明确与解决,直接关系到中国的海洋权益以及南海的未来法律秩序。尽管泰国湾地区的共同开发经验能够为中国提供借鉴,但南海主海的情况与之有很大区别。共同开发方式在国际范围内接受程度不广泛,实际效果不理想,其对南海争端的可适用程度较低。因此,应对共同开发方式在南海争端解决中的作用予以重新定位。从长远的角度出发,共同开发不能成为解决南海争端的优先选择和主要方式,即便在短期内以共同开发方式为处理南海争端的权宜之计,也应当注重构建一个合理的共同开发机制。中国对南海的"历史性权利"并未被后来的有效国际法律规范所更改或取消,这一权利不能按照《联合国海洋法公约》的架构来解读,也并不存在妨碍南海航行自由的问题。相反,倒是其他南海周边国家滥用《联合国海洋法公约》规定所提出的意在分割、控制南海的种种主张更加妨碍南海的航行自由。比较之下,中国的主张更加符合南海水域本身的性质及其适用当代海洋法之后的应然状态。

New Thinking on Joint Development and Freedom of Navigation in the South China Sea:Paths for Resolving the South China Sea Dispute Based on International Law

Clarification and resolution of the problems of joint development and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea are directly linked to China’s maritime interests and the future legal order of the South China Sea.Methods of joint development have not been widely accepted internationally,and in practice effectiveness of such methods has fallen short of expectations.As such,taking a long term view,joint development is not a preferred choice or primary means through which the dispute can be resolved,and even if it is used over the short term to manage the conflict,special attention should be paid to constructing reasonable mechanisms for joint development.China’s "historical rights"to the South China Sea have not been effectively changed or cancelled by international legal norms.These rights cannot be understood within the framework of the Convention,and they do not present any obstacles for the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.Conversely,other states in the region abuse the provisions of the Convention to advance claims targeted at dividing and control over the South China Sea in a way that would obstruct freedom of navigation even further.Relatively speaking,China’s position is more in line with the natural characteristics of the South China Sea,and it more natural vis-à-vis the application of contemporary maritime law.