Resolving the Disputes in the South China Sea

Lecture with

Dr. Bill Hayton
Chatham House & BBC

The contemporary disputes in the South China Sea are commonly regarded as intractable and irresolvable. This presentation will argue the opposite. It will show that it is not necessary to understand the entire history of the South China Sea to reach a judgement on the overlapping claims. What is required is an examination of the evidence put forward by the contesting claimants. Nationalistic claims to large groups of features can be tested by disaggregating them and seeking evidence for actual occupation of specific features. This opens a way forward based upon compromise and the recognition of the status quo.