The Peace-Building Process in the South China Sea: Challenges and Future Prospects for a Maritime Regime

The aim of this article is to examine two treaties which are often presented by scholars as potential models for a maritime regime in the South China Sea, namely the Svalbard Treaty and the Antarctic Treaty System. The work concludes that even though both of the treaties have resolved equally complex territorial disputes, their importance as a role model for the SCS is limited due to the unique political condition in the Asia-Pacific. However, the solutions within the sphere of environmental protection and the structure of decision-making institutions developed by the abovementioned treaties present a valuable lesson and a potential example for the countries involved in the South China Sea dispute to emulate. The article argues that cooperation within environmental protection and fisheries management, as a low-profile endeavour, is easier to be put into practice than the joint development of highly contested hydrocarbon resources of the SCS. Furthermore, it can potentially lay foundation for the future high profile collaboration. The paper also presents a model of a maritime regime for the South China Sea.

Процесс миростроительства в Южно-Китайском море: вызовы и перспективы морского режима

Целью данной статьи является изучение двух договоров, которые часто пред- ставляются учеными в качестве потенциальных моделей морского режима в Юж- но-Китайском море, а именно Договора о Шпицбергене и Системы Договора об Антарктике. В работе делается вывод о том, что хотя оба договора разрешили одинаково сложные территориальные споры, их важность в качестве образца для подражания для СКС ограничена из-за уникальных политических условий в Азиатско-Тихоокеанском регионе. Однако решения в области защиты окружа- ющей среды и структуры институтов принятия решений, разработанные в рамках вышеупомянутых договоров, представляют собой ценный урок и потенциальный пример для подражания странам, вовлеченным в спор вокруг Южно-Китайского моря. В статье утверждается, что сотрудничество в области охраны окружающей среды и управления рыболовством, как скромное мероприятие, легче реализовать на практике, чем совместная разработка весьма спорных углеводородных ресурсов Южно-Китайского моря. Более того, это потенциально может заложить основу для будущего сотрудничества на высоком уровне. В статье также представлена модель морского режима Южно-Китайского моря.

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