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In reply to the discussion: There are NO ISLANDS AT ALL in the Spratly Islands, UNCLOS tribunal rules! [View all]uawchild
(2,208 posts)48. sustain human habitation OR economic life
Seems habitable to me. I bet I could live there. Typhoons will be rough though. lol
Seriously though, does the UNCLOS state a number that must be of people that must be sustained? No it does not, its very very vague.
And THAT is part of the problem. The ruling has said that Taiping Island, long recognized as an island, is now NOT an island but is a "rock" based on that vague paragraph.
Honestly, the island CAN sustain human habitation, the only argument would be over how much.
China has been accusing the international tribunal of being biased, and now this ruling that Taiping Island is suddenly a "rock" has given them extra ammunition to make that case.
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There are NO ISLANDS AT ALL in the Spratly Islands, UNCLOS tribunal rules! [View all]
uawchild
Jul 2016
OP
Well that's the point, some do, some don't, some have negotiated local arrangements. nt
bemildred
Jul 2016
#27
Size doesn't matter; from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
LongtimeAZDem
Jul 2016
#16
According to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, an island has 12 nautical miles of territori
LanternWaste
Jul 2016
#17
The standard is whether such islands can "sustain human habitation or economic life of their own"
LongtimeAZDem
Jul 2016
#39
"Honestly, how much human habitation?" That's probably why they have tribunals (nt)
LongtimeAZDem
Jul 2016
#42
So no stated standards? I see. No chance of bias with clearly stated standards.
uawchild
Jul 2016
#44