ABSTRACT
This chapter describes that joint development between the rival claimants, while not impossible, is unlikely in the foreseeable future. It examines the claimant's early interest in South China Sea energy resources and how the importance of resources has affected the political and domestic receptivity of claimants of the South China Sea toward the negotiation for joint development. The South China Sea claimants have repeatedly voiced their willingness to work toward joint development/cooperation and formed a Technical Working Group on Resources Assessment and Ways of Development (TWG-RA) to study the assortment of joint development models around the world and to learn from them what could be applied to the South China Sea area. However, following the lapse of Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) with the Philippine National Oil Company and Petro Vietnam, the China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) has taken unilateral action to claim the energy resources and stepped up its efforts in exploiting parts of the South China Sea.
