Thinking Outside the Box: The South China Sea Issue and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Options, Limitations and Prospects)

The South China Sea issue is a geopolitical tinder box waiting to explode.2 It is clear that the primary reason for the claims is based on its strategic location and its hydrocarbon potential,3 However, this is more than a simple conflict over resources.4 The issue goes beyond the question of territorial sovereignty and natural resource jurisdiction.s This 1S more than a legalquestion of ownership.