The Sino-Korean Marine Areas Of Conflict And Cooperation

Zhu Feng, a researcher of Korean Peninsula from Peking University, mentioned in an interview:"China and North Korea maritime boundary is a grey area." He considered that Sino-Korean sea has no boundaries, and a vacuum state in the management of the sea area. In fact, the Sino-Korean waters is not without boundaries。 On October12,1962, the both countries signed the Sino-Korean Border Treaty in Pyongyang and on March20,1964, they signed Sino-Korean Border Protocol in Beijing, thus the boundary approximate range has been defined.However, the mentioned treaty only determines the dividing line of waters from the Jianghai dividing line until north latitude39degrees30minutes, and from south latitude39degrees30minutes of the Yellow Sea there is no division. Since1997, the foreign affairs authorities of the two countries established informal consultative mechanisms, mainly exchange views on delimitation and fisheries issues. Because of the large differences between the parties, it has not reached any agreement.The Korean peninsula is in North-East Asia, a bridge between the Eurasian and Pacific, pivot of Northeast Asian geopolitical situation. Thus, North Korea is a fulcrum for this axis and has a very strategic importance for China. Both China and North Korea land along the coast of the Yellow sea adjacent and opposite. Between China and North Korea was determined that Yalu River dividing line at the mouth of the two countries, but the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf marine legal system have not yet born. Although Sino-Korean friendship has a long history, the differences between the two countries are a lot, such as maritime delimitation, maintenance of fisheries cooperation, marine law enforcement, maritime shipping, smuggling at sea, offshore oil development, and so on. To maintain the interests of both countries to properly resolve their differences, strengthen cooperation and achieve win-win situation, the relevant departments of the two countries need to strengthen communication and close cooperationChina has a lot of regulatory maritime departments, such as the Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transportation, the sea of the Border Defense Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture, Bureau of Fisheries fishery, maritime surveillance of the State Oceanic Administration, General Administration of Customs anti-smuggling Bureau and other departments. National administrative authorities are dealing maritime disputes between China and North Korea have been remained in the general understanding of border incidents and internal processing. However, it does not rise to the level of safeguarding national maritime rights and interests, understanding and processing. The end of long-term goals focuses on the final demarcation of the Sino-Korean waters.The present thesis introduces China and North Korea marine interests of disputes and cooperation in relation to this area and makes recommendations for resolving disputes, as well as the prospects of cooperation.