Sparing Spratly Islands

Dissecting the South China Sea into the finer details, Tulica Bhattacharya reports from United Nations Security Council (UNSC), with regard to the assessment of claims over the Spratly Islands and its subdivisions.

As the discussion proceeded to analyse the intricate aspects of the situation, the claims over Kalayaan Islands were taken up. The islands, which are largely disputed due to the Filipino claims being both historic and geographical in nature, are a part of the Spratly Group of Islands upon which People’s Republic of China (China) asserts territorial rights.

The Delegate of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay urged the committee to question the sovereignty of these islands. On the same note, she proposed to consider the situation in three aspects – discovery, occupation and administration. Elaborating the same, the Delegate argued that China already mapped its boundaries before Philippines and consequently, looked after the region’s administrative and occupational priorities when needed. The Delegate of China accused Philippines of releasing a presidential decree and making an official claim on the Kalayaan Islands despite the claims predating the same. He further added “Philippines adopted the Republic Act of 9522 in order to streamline the domestic laws with the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Without its initiation, the Arbitral Tribunal falls flat.”

Conversely, the Delegate of Vietnam was enraged while stating “Chinese patrols set around the South China Sea gives them unapproved control. This portrays China’s stubbornness; it’s either their way or no way.” The Delegate of the Republic of Philippines pointed out that there exists no legal grounds to the China’s claims and criticised the source ofambiguity in the dispute. “Philippines claims only fifty features of the Spratly Islands” she said, “we do not want areas that are not our own.” The Delegate of The United States of America agreed upon the matter thereby proclaiming that the Kalayaan Islands are “clearly under Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone” and must not be claimed by China.

As the council debated the territorial claims, The Delegate of the Republic of China (Taiwan) recommended commencement of bilateral talks and a joint cooperation program for the development of the region. Although countless arguments indicated a great deal of disagreement, the committee finally realised the need to implement efficient solutions. Nevertheless, only time can measure the competence of these solutions.