| Summary/Abstract |
As an extremely delicate and sensitive matter, it is unrealistic to expect the eventual
resolution of maritime delimitation disputes in the South China Sea (SCS) in the
immediate future. To manage the disputes and utilize the disputed maritime area,
the claimants in this region have made continued efforts to conclude provisional
arrangements. Due to the lack of consensus on the precise disputed zones and the
low political will to make concessions, the existing arrangements have several
drawbacks. To break the stalemate, a set of approaches are indispensable. A
reasonable first step might be to develop provisional arrangements in less disputed
maritime areas, especially those areas involving only two states. For areas with
multiple claims or where the claimants have low political will to cooperate, it is
advisable to start with developing arrangements on issues with common interests
and easy to implement. For higher sensitive issues, track two connections might be
employed at first, so as to pave the way for future official cooperation.
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