海底地形命名的国际法分析——以SCUFN海底地形命名为出发点

An Analysis of the International Law on the Naming of Undersea Terrains

国家向国际海底地名分委会(SCUFN)提交命名提案,在沿海国领海以外海底区域行使命名权。SCUFN命名决议非传统意义上的国际法渊源,但由于各国的承认和遵守以及对国家主权的尊重,该命名仍有法律效力,并对大陆架划界、历史性权利的主张,甚至主权和管辖权的行使产生影响。通过分析大陆架和国际海底区域不同国际法地位,探讨对二者海底地形命名采取不同程序的必要性,并主张中国应积极参与现有国际法律框架,维护我国海洋权益。

Countries submit naming proposals to the Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names( SCUFN),and exercise naming rights in the submarine areas outside their territorial seas. The SCUFN naming resolutions are a non-traditional source of international law. However,due to the recognition and observance of them by all countries and respect for national sovereignty,the naming still has legal effect and has implications for the delineation of the continental shelves,historical rights claims,and even for the exercise of sovereignty and jurisdiction. In this paper,the authors analyze the status of the continental shelves and the international seabed regions in different international laws,and discuss the necessity of adopting different procedures for naming the seafloor topography. The authors further argue that China should actively participate in the existing international legal framework and protect China's maritime rights and interests.