Legal Aspects of the ROC`s Position on the U-Shaped Line

Abstract

In 1947, the Republic of China (ROC) government published a map on which a “U-Shaped Line” was drawn to enclose the four groups of islands, a large part of the waters, and other features of the South China Sea. The “U-Shaped Line” has been a pivotal focus in the South China Sea’s territorial and maritime boundary delimitation disputes since 2009. Its legality was challenged by the Philippines in an arbitration case in 2013. This paper analyzes the legal aspects of the ROC’s position on the “U-Shaped Line.” It first provides a brief background on the history of the line. Then, it reviews a variety of interpretations on the legal status of the “U-Shaped Line” with special reference to the ROC’s state practices. After examining implications of the “U-Shaped Line” on the South China Sea disputes, some observations are made in the conclusion section.