The Study On The Issue Of Baseline Delineation Of The Nansha Islands Are Applicable To The Mid-ocean Archipelago

It is of practical significance to delineate the territorial sea baselines of Nansha Islands for better protection of China’ s rights and interests in the Nansha islands.In fact,the demarcation of the baselines of the Nansha Islands is extremely complicated.This relates not only to the question of whether the provisions of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea are applicable to the baselines of the territorial sea,but also relates to learn from the other countries’ specific practice of using baselines from other countries’ territorial waters.From the analysis on geographical nature,Nansha Islands which are composed of a large number of low tides neither belong to the costal archipelago nor the archipelago of archipelago states,but the mid-ocean archipelago.Although the United Nations Convention on the Law regulation system of the islands regulates the related content as well as the related content of the baseline system,but the content does not apply to the mainland country delineated the baselines of the territorial sea of the ocean islands.In recent years,the linear baseline method adopted by countries such as the UK,India and Ecuador has been used to demarcate the baselines of its maritime territorial waters.These practices have gradually accumulated into international habits,which provides the basis of international law for the demarcation of the baselines of the Nansha Islands.In addition,relevant continental countries have provided experience for the demarcation of the baselines of the territorial sea of the Nansha Islands.In combination with the relevant of the United Nations Convention on the law of the sea and international practices,the low tide elevation of Nansha Islands can be served as the base point for the baselines of the territorial sea of Nansha Islands.Furthermore,how to select these low tide elevations as the base point and then demarcate the territorial sea baselines of Nansha Islands refers to the specific plan of baselines of the territorial sea of Nansha Islands.Chinese scholars have different opinions on the specific plan of baselines of the territorial sea of Nansha Islands.By comparing and analyzing the different plans of the relevant scholars on the baselines of the territorial sea of Nansha Islands and the geographical situation of Nansha Islands itself,this article will divide Nansha Islands in terms of its close range of islands and reefs into different units and regions.It is suitable for regional linear baselines to be demarcated by region.