ABSTRACT
The omission of some important aspects of the South Chins Sea (SCS) policy could lead to an inaccurate assessment of China's policy stance. The research finds that changes in the legal and political aspects of China's SCS policy are often linked to practical aspects of China's SCS policy. With regard to the first component of China's SCS policy, this research arrives at three observations. First, China's legal position has undergone a series of modifications in accordance with the evolving international maritime order. Second, changes in China's legal claims to sovereignty in the SCS were not completed overnight. Third, legal and normative developments of the maritime regime have been responsible for those observed changes in China's legal position. There are generally three kinds of policy orientations: maintaining peace; reaching an equitable resolution; and maximizing the interests of a specific country. The third policy orientation is in conflict with the first two and is not the focus of this policy recommendation.
