South China Sea disputes arise again

Assoc Prof Robert Beckman, Head of the Ocean Law and Policy Programme at the Centre for International Law at NUS discussed the recent communications by the governments of Malaysia and China to the United Nations Secretary-General, with respect to Malaysia’s submission regarding an “extended continental shelf” in the South China Sea. He opined that the communications are evidence that neither China nor the Asean states bordering the South China Sea are backing away from their legal positions on rights to explore and exploit the natural resources in the South China Sea.

• The Straits Times, 6 January 2020, Opinion, pA16