论闭海或半闭海沿岸国的合作:以南海为例--与克里斯托弗·莱恩博先生商榷

Joint Development of South China Sea as An Example of Cooperation between States Bordering Enclosed or Semi-enclosed Seas:A Discussion with Mr.Christopher Linebaugh

闭海或半闭海制度是《联合国海洋法公约》(以下简称为"《公约》")的创新之一。莱恩博认为,闭海或半闭海沿岸国的合作是一项国际义务,中国坚持双边谈判的行为不符合善意合作的要求。实际上,闭海或半闭海沿岸国的合作并不是一项有拘束力的法律义务,而是一项规劝性质的建议。尽管如此,沿岸国仍应以善意协商的方式,努力就《公约》规定的一切海洋事宜达成合作。作为南海这一半闭海的沿岸国之一,在自然资源合作开发的问题上,中国提出"搁置争议、共同开发"的政策,并积极推动《南海各方行为宣言》向有拘束力的"南海各方行为准则"过渡,坚持通过双边谈判解决南海争端,这些行为已经尽到善意原则的要求,符合《公约》的规定。

Regime of enclosed or semi-enclosed seas is one of the initiatives of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.Mr.Linebaugh holds that cooperation between bordering states of enclosed or semi-enclosed seas is an international obligation,and China's insist on bilateral negotiation is inconsistent with cooperation in good faith.As a matter of fact /cooperation between bordering states of enclosed or semi-enclosed seas is not a binding legal duty,but an exhortative suggestion.Nevertheless,the bordering states are to cooperate with each other by means of negotiation in good faith concerning all kinds of maritime activities envisaged by the UNCLOS.On the matter of joint development on natural resources,as one of the bordering states of South China Sea,a semienclosed sea defined by the UNCLOS,China has proposed the policy of 'setting aside dispute and pursuing joint development' and promote energetically the transition of Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea to Code of conduct in the South China Sea with a binding effect.Besides,China insists that South China Sea disputes can only be solved by bilateral negotiation.All these declarations and actions by China has fulfilled the requirement of cooperation in good faith and are in conformity with UNCLOS.