海平面上升对海上地物国际法地位的影响:规则演进与中国因应

Possible Effects of Sea Level Rise on the Legal Status of Maritime Features:The Development of Rules and China's Response

《联合国海洋法公约》将海陆相对位置和岛礁生态环境与海上地物的国际法地位联结起来,从而赋予这些自然因素以法律意涵。气候变化引起的海平面上升对既有规则形成挑战,而以文本为中心的解释路径与功能性解释均存在局限性,模糊了条约解释与修订的界限。海上地物的国际法地位是随自然情况而迁变,还是得以保持稳定尚无定论。随着国家实践的累积与国际组织的介入,“维持原则”开始占据主导地位,历史性权利和习惯法被视为规则发展的可行路径。海上地物国际法地位的规则发展不仅与我国在南海等周边海域的核心利益直接相关,还牵涉我国海洋外交与战略的整体布局。我国有必要以统筹的视角,积极参与议题讨论,提出既符合我国利益诉求,又契合“海洋命运共同体”理念的中国方案。

The UNCLOS attaches legal significance to certain natural factors by connecting the relative position of the sea and the land as well as ecological conditions of maritime features with their legal statuses.Sea level rise brought by the climate change elicits a series of challenges on the established rules.The text-centred interpretation path and functional interpretation have their limitations,blurring the line between treaty interpretation and revision.It is difficult to determine whether the legal statuses of maritime features will be“degraded”or“sustained”.With the accumulation of state practice and the involvement of international organizations,a basic consensus has emerged from recent legal discussions,where the“sustain”approach begins to dominate,and historical rights and customary law are seen as viable paths for the development of rules.The development of rules regarding the status of maritime features is not only directly related to China's national interests in the South China Sea and other surrounding seas,but also involves the overall layout of maritime diplomacy and strategy.It is essential for China to take a holistic perspective,actively participate in the relevant discussion,and propose a Chinese solution that fits our interests while keeping consistent with the idea of“maritime community with a shared future”.