国际海底资源分配制度演变与美国海底政策的转向

Research on the Evolution of International Seabed Resource Allocation Regime and Changes of American Seabed Policy

对市场自由竞争理念的偏好决定了美国支持以技术和资本为主导的海底资源分配制度。在国际海底制度构建过程中,发展中国家凭借其表决优势在海底资源分配问题上对美国支持的海底制度构成了挑战。第三次海洋法会议将海底资源的勘探与开发完全置于海底管理局的直接控制之下,这违背了美国自由竞争的市场理念。美国不仅以国内立法的形式规避国际海底制度对其国内开发实体的活动限制,而且在国际海底制度之外与其他发达国家签订一系列"互惠国协议",公开与国际海底资源分配制度相抗衡。美国海底政策的转变,反映的是国际制度变革对美国对外行为的深刻影响。

First-mover advantage on capital and technology decided that the U.S.supported free development policy on seabed resource allocation.At the beginning of seabed regime construction,developing countries posed a challenge to the U.S.-supported policy by their voting advantage and ultimately led to American withdrawal from international institution.The U.S.government chose to confront openly the international development system by making a series of'reciprocating state treaties'with other developed countries as well as by enacting domestic legislation to continue its domestic development activity.During the 1990's,the international community took the initiative to modify the former international seabed regime and signed the 1994Implementation Agreement which guaranteed American free rights on seabed mining and her leading position in the distribution of seabed resources.In the end,the United States returned to the international multilateral seabed development institution by signing the new Agreement which reflected exactly the international institution's profound influence on American resource allocation policy.