​This book uses Chinese version of dialectics to present interpretations of ocean governance, international regimes, issues in the South China Sea in general and the Chinese U-shaped line in particular, through the one-dot theory. It especially serves as a tool for non-Chinese researchers and experts interested in analyzing international relations issues from a Chinese perspective. The dialectical one-dot theory, which is a superior model to the dialectical Yin and Yang or the dialectical crab and frog motion model, provides research and findings that more closely mirror reality than do other, non-dialectical approaches and research methods. Further, it can be applied to both the natural and social sciences. The book is divided into three parts — Methodology, Case Studies Related to International Regimes and Non-“International Regimes,” and Issues Related to the U-shaped Line in the South China Sea — with each chapter structured in terms of the one-dot theory. In addition to researchers and experts involved in marine and maritime affairs, this book will also appeal to all readers interested in Chinese Philosophy, International Relations, and Strategic Culture.

This book interprets the meanings of the uses, regulations, and representations of the ocean undertaken by the state and other societal power sources in modern Taiwan between 1949 and 2016. Following Michael Mann’s historical sociology and Philip Steinberg’s political geography, the book analyses the construction of the ocean by the society of Taiwan in terms of ideological, political, military and economic sources of power. It also provides a structural foundation for creating a framework of the politics in maritime and ocean affairs through the lens of an interpretive analysis of the modern Taiwanese construction of the ocean. Moreover, it explores the social constructions of the ocean through the written works of intellectuals in natural sciences, social studies and humanities in Taiwan after the 1980s. Succinctly revealing how Taiwanese society has influenced the social construction of the ocean, this book will appeal to scholars and students interested in Taiwanese politics and history, political geography and Asian politics.

Regime Interaction in Ocean Governance: Problems, Theories and Methods identifies problems raised by regime interaction in ocean governance, discusses relevant theoretical approaches and explores possible solutions. It ultimately highlights how regime interaction can also contribute to better ocean governance.

This book provides an explanation of Chinese policy towards the South China Sea, and argues that this has been sculpted by the changing dynamics of the law of the sea in conjunction with regional geopolitical flux. The past few decades have witnessed a bifurcated trend in China’s management of territorial disputes. Over the years, while China gradually calmed and settled most land-border disputes with its neighbors, disputes on the ocean frontier continued to simmer in a seething cauldron. China's Policy towards the South China Sea attributes the distinctive path of China’s approach to maritime disputes to a unique factor – the law of the sea (LOS) as the "rules of the road" in the ocean. By deconstructing the concept of "sovereignty" and treating the LOS as an evolving regime, the book examines how the changing dynamics of the LOS regime have complicated and reshaped the nature and content of sovereign disputes in the ocean regime as well as the options of settlement. Applying the findings to the South China Sea case, the author traces the learning curve on which China has embarked to comprehend the complexity of the dispute accordingly and finds that it is the dynamic interaction of the law of the sea regime and the geopolitical conditions that has driven the evolution of China’s South China Sea policy. This book will be of great interest to students of Chinese and Asian politics, international law, international relations and security studies.

The South China Sea region contains potentially huge deposits of petroleum and natural gas, important shipping lanes and fishing areas, and is subject to a number of maritime territorial disputes. This edited volume analyzes the most recent development in the South China Sea dispute looking at the positions taken by China, the ASEAN countries, and the US. In recent years maritime joint development zones have emerged as an important means to overcome deadlock in relation to maritime jurisdictional claims. This book tests the applicability of joint development regime in this region and explores the prospect of joint development of resources as a way to successfully manage the conflict in the South China Sea. Eminent scholars in the field of South China Sea studies have contributed original chapters to the volume covering such issues as: the legal framework for joint development; how joint development might work in practice; the challenges faced by and the prospects arising from joint development; and the way forward for the region.

The Routledge Handbook of the South China Sea presents a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of South China Sea issues. It evaluates the dynamics of the latest developments and identifies factors that contribute to dispute settlement and a cooperative management regime of one of the most important seas in the world – one which not only contains rich marine resources and distinctive biodiversity but is also a critical sea route for global trade and communications. The Handbook is divided into six parts, each representing a focused area of enquiry: • History and geostrategic landscape • Sovereignty and maritime entitlements • South China Sea policies of major claimants • Natural resources and environment • Cooperation and institutions • Challenges and prospects Written by world-renowned experts and scholars, with specialisms from geography to international law, the volume’s 25 chapters contribute interdisciplinary perspectives, reflecting the impact of how South China Sea policies are shaped by national governments and international organizations. As such, the Handbook provides an authoritative reference to South China Sea Studies, useful for students and scholars of international relations, history, maritime and Asian studies.

Research on The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is a valuable addition to understanding the political situation in the potentially volatile South China Sea region. This book covers topics such as baselines, historic title and rights, due regard and abuse of rights, peaceful use of the ocean, navigation regimes, marine scientific research, intelligence gathering, the UNCLOS dispute settlement system and regional common heritage. In search of varying viewpoints, the authors in this book come from multiple countries, including the Philippines, Australia, Ireland, Mainland China and Taiwan, the United States, and Indonesia, Singapore, UK and Germany. Ongoing events, such as the recent waves made by China in the East China Sea and increasing tensions between the South East Asian countries over the use of South China Sea, make this book especially pertinent.

This book offers a multidisciplinary exploration of how climate change is impacting conflicts, contention, and competition in the world. The volume examines how climate change is creating and exacerbating insecurities for millions of people globally, and how states, inter-governmental bodies, and others are attempting to meet challenges today and in the near and medium term. It shows that climate change insecurity is relevant to a battery of security areas, including warfighting, stabilisation, human security, influence, and resilience and capacity building. The volume provides insights into how climate change has and will impact security at different scales and in different localities, including national and ethnic tensions, food and water security, resource competition, mass displacement, and even the recruitment profiles and operations of violent and extremist organisations. With contributions from pioneering researchers and practitioners, the book discusses shifting operational requirements and responsibilities, and the need for clarity around the size and shape of capacity gaps. In addition to practitioners and policy-makers working in these areas, the book will be of significant interest to researchers and students of defence studies, peace and conflict studies, climate change and environmental security, and International Relations.

This is the first study to provide both a systematic assessment of the ways by which the dispute settlement bodies of the United Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) contribute to the development of the law of the sea and an exposition of the factors that explain such contribution. The book analyses UNCLOS dispute settlement bodies' decisions and the legal reasoning in key areas of the law of the sea. It further examines the factors that impact the decision-making process of UNCLOS tribunals to explain the parameters within which UNCLOS tribunals operate and how this impacts their ability and willingness to develop the law. The book provides a unique reference point for lecturers, researchers and students of international law, particularly law of the sea, as well as practitioners and government advisors who wish to gain comprehensive insights into the functioning and the role of the UNCLOS dispute settlement system.