Topic: Territorial Dispute in the South China Sea
Country: Zimbabwe
Delegate Name: Jacob Lohrke
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Zimbabwe position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
For a better part of the past century, The South China Sea has been a center of international disagreement, with issues in the region causing strains between the relations of involved countries, and some which dig the very roots of The Law Of The Seas. Recently, with the disagreements between China, Vietnam, and The Philippines causing armed conflict and extreme militarization of the area, particularly in the Spratly Island chain, it has become almost urgent that the United Nations step in to alleviate some of the stresses and perhaps construct some sort of law and order. Given the situation at hand, and its commitment to the Non-Aligned Movement, Zimbabwe concludes that China has a right to remain in control of their current claims.
The claim China makes to the South China Sea is valid for several reasons. First, the area has been claimed by China since long before the UNCLOS came into exist, and in the interest of national sovereignty, they should be eligible to keep those claims. Second, China controls several islands in the region, including some in the Spratly Island chain, the Paracel Island chain, and, more recently, some of its own creation. This land should already cement their claims to the region under the UNCLOS, although some countries would claim that the islands do not count for their own personal gain.
Using the above knowledge, although noting agitation of the other claimants, Zimbabwe proposes that (if it is not to create its own resolution) a resolution be presented that forms an agreeable compromise. For a good start, a possible solution could be allowing the Chinese oil rigs already constructed to remain in place and have them pay a tax for using the land, but to enforce that the sea be split up as according to the UNCLOS.
