South China Sea Decision: A Snapshot of Issues

The charis and speakers will include Dr Michael White OAM QC, Professor Nick Gaskell and Professor Anthony Cassimatis.

The Philippines commenced a matter under UNCLOS seeking certain declarations about the Chinese claims in the South China Sea that overlapped some Philippine claims. China had always staunchly maintained its reservation on agreeing to UNCLOS that maritime boundaries are not within the UNCLOS jurisdiction. (As Australian has done with the East Timor claim in the Timor Sea). Under UNCLOS a Tribunal of five judges was formed and it arranged, in the usual way, for the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague (the PCA) to manage the matter and provide facilities. In an earlier decision the Tribunal decided that it had no jurisdiction about land claims nor about maritime boundaries but it had jurisdiction over other rights and claims that had been made. On 12 July 2016 the Tribunal gave its final decision on other claims, although reserving some issues for further hearing. This decision rejected most of the Chinese claims and that has raised the South China Sea issues to a major international legal, political and military level. This seminar by some of the UQ Law School maritime and international members will give a snapshot of these issues.

All welcome. No registration required.