Maritime convulsions in the ‘Asean’ seas

“The sea belongs to nobody -but interests clash over its uses.”

AT no other time in history do some Asean countries face several maritime challenges than during this second decade of the 21st century. All because of the uses of the South China (West Philippine) Sea and its resources – major shipping routes, important fishing grounds and abundant oil and gas reserves. But over and above those maritime pursuits is the question of territorial (land, water and air space) ownership as developed in law.