ABSTRACT. The theory that we shall seek to elaborate here puts considerable emphasis on the legal situation of maritime zones in the South China Sea, the sovereignty of the coastal state over the territorial sea, the evolution of the law of the sea, and the legal system relating to oceans and seas. The main focus of this paper is the study of the sea rulemaking process, international law of the sea principles, the development of Chinese naval power in the South China Sea, and the freedom of navigation on the high seas. pp. 57–62

Keywords: maritime space, international law of the sea, territorial sea