Political And Legal Research On The Northern Sea Route

Arctic region has unique geographical location and rich resources, so its development is very important for human. Especially in recent years, with global climate increasing warm, the shipping value and the value of potential oil and natural gas resources in the Arctic region has become increasingly prominent, which attract the world's strong concern. Early due to harsh ice block, the northern sea route does not have the actual value of commercial shipping, but in recent years, due to global warming, particularly accelerated melting arctic sea ice, the northern sea route known as the new "Atlantic-Pacific " route also will lead to the development boom again.Northern Sea Route links Asia, Europe and America as one of the shortest routes across three continents potentially, with important strategic value and the shipping value. The northern sea is not only strongly influenced by snowstorm, ocean currents, harsh ice condition and so on, but also is restricted by a lot of laws and systems, such as international law.Theses laws involve in territorial sea and the straits covered by ice. The political and the legal status of the northern sea has been controversial. Due to the historical and geographical factors, the Soviet Union/ Russia regards the northern sea route as to its domestic transport routes unilaterally, controls the northern sea route very strictly, at the same time, formulates a large number of the relevant regulations and policies about the northern sea route, establishes a lot of strict management system. It plays a unique influence in the Arctic.However, the Soviet Union/Russia domestic laws have many contradictions with the international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, on the other hand, Russian stringent route management system and so on, which lead to many disputes with Europe and the United States. For historical and geographical reasons, the issue of the political and legal status of the northern sea route has been controversial strongly between the United States and the Soviet Union/Russia. Especially in the legal and management system of the northern sea route are obvious different. They provide reasons based on national security. The United States strongly persists that the strait on the northern sea route should be international straits and foreign countries have the right of transit passage, while the Soviet Union/Russia has argued that these waters should be in a straight baseline within the water surrounded by water, thus leading to numerous conflicts.In recent years, as global climate increasing warm, the conditions of the arctic sea ice is changing, and the northern sea route is increasingly concerned by the international community.The international trend of the northern sea route is growing. In particular, Iceland, Japan and Norway are strongly interested in the route and has carried out their research plan systematically. To take this opportunity, China has also actively pursued research and participated in Arctic affairs. The control of the northern sea by Russia will be challenged on the background of the commercial shipping and climate change. In this situation, if the northern sea route wants to become an international waterway, it still faces the issues in the terms of natural conditions, political and legal system and charging system, and many other obstacles. Political and legal uncertainty is the key to the problem of the northern sea route. In addition, climate is changing, so the northern sea route will change in legal and management system. The northern sea route is also bound to be concerned once again.The whole thesis consists of five parts.The preface introduces the present research status and research significance of the northern sea route.The first part gives a clear object of the study. It overviews the physical situation of the northern sea route, and its economic and strategic value. The northern sea route mainly consists five sea waters, involves in 10 major Straits, four major ports and four sea routes.The second part traces back the expedition history of the northern sea route. Its historical development is divided into two stages, namely the early historical period of exploration and the development of the construction period. Development and construction of the northern sea route consists of four stages:the initial period of construction from the late 19th century to1932; from 1932 to the 1950s, the shipping fleet and the management agencies has been built; from 1950 to the 1970s, the late summer and autumn of conventional navigation of the northern sea route has developed; since the period of late 70s, the navigation around the year starts to be constructed.The third part systematically examines the shipping activities of the northern sea route. Section one analyzes the activity of the northern sea route 1991 years ago; Section Two examines the activity of the northern sea route in the post-Soviet.The fouth part is the core of the thesis. It analyses the background and the political and legal issues of the northern sea route. As Russia has always considered the northern sea route to its domestic route, so in this chapter, firstly examines main conflicts between Soviet Union/Russia and America around the northern sea route. The conflicts contain Burton Island incident, North Wind incident, Vil'kitskiy Strait incident of the year 1967, the Black Sea incident between the United States and the Russian. Secondly, analyses Russia put forward sovereignty claim to the northern sea route. The legal basis of Russia's claim to sovereignty over Arctic routes waters is proposed on the three principals, the principle of sector, the historic waters, the straight baselines. Thirdly discusses Union/Russia control to the northern sea route. Union/Russia's control to the northern sea route contains the strict management legal system of the northern sea route.The fifth part looks forward to the northern sea route in the future, at the same time, analyzing the relation of China and the northern sea route. First, it analyses the opening background of the northern sea route and considers the internationalization of the route. It has great influence on economic and social development of China. Finally, examines China how to take part in the issues of the northern sea route.