ABSTRACT

The South China Sea is located in the Indo-West Pacific between the Pacific Ocean on the East and the Indian Ocean on the West, with many islands and hundreds of smaller islands, atolls, submerged reefs and banks. It is surrounded by 10 states

and parties, most of which are densely populated and with the fastest growing economies.12 The South China Sea receives freshwater from many rivers, and the combined annual discharge from the Mekong, Pearl, Red and Chao Phraya Rivers is more than a billion cubic meters. With 600 million people located in the coastal catchments of the South China Sea, land-based activities account for approximately 70% of pollutants in coastal waters. The major sources of pollution include industrial, port and harbor, mining and marine aquaculture sources.13 In recent years, the increasing competition for sea-bed oil, gas and mineral drilling between the states in the South China Sea, not only makes relevant issues international, but extends great impact on its environment.14