Introduction

This dispute relates to the East China Sea. In the central part of the East China Sea, the dispute appears to be issue of whether the border should be a median line between the two countries (favoured by Japan) or based on natural prolongation of the continental shelf principles whereby China could claim up to the Okinawa Trough. This situation is directly analogous to that between Australia and Timor-Leste. The border issue is further complicated to the north (where China's claim extends into the Japan-South Korea Joint Development Zone) and to the south (where there is disputed ...