United Nations ITLOS/RES/2025
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
Distr.: General
May 11, 2025
7th Session of the Ashton School MUN 2025 Conference
Agenda item(s): 1
Topic: The legality of China’s maritime activity in the South China Sea under UNCLOS
Sponsors: The Commonwealth of Australia, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Federal Republic of
Germany, the Republic of India, the Republic of Indonesia, the State of Israel, the Republic of
Korea, the United Mexican States, the Republic of Panama, the United States of America.
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The International Tribunal for the Law of Sea,
Alarmed by China’s inconsistency with maritime trade in the South China Sea, breaking multiple
laws of UNCLOS,
Recognizing the escalation of the territorial conflict in the South China Sea,
Acknowledging China’s military expansion in foreign EEZs, regarding the overseas territory of
other nations,
Fully aware of the amount and importance of the maritime resources in the region, which come
not only from each nation's EEZs but also from their main territory,
Taking into consideration the implementation of artificial islands in the South China Sea,
Deeply concerned with the environmental implications of further uncontrolled exploitation of
resources and territorial disputes,
1. Calls for the amendment of articles in UNCLOS, including a legal vacuum within UNCLOS:
a. Amend article 60 to specify the numerical value of artificial islands permitted legally by
UNCLOS, a maximum of 5 islands per country,
b. Amend article 186 to specify jurisdiction for activities in the area regarding seabed
mining,
c. Amend article 61 to regulate activities that may impact biodiversity in the high seas,
d. Amend and further develop Article 4 to minimize disputes over the delineation of the
outer limits of the continental shelf,
e. Amend and further develop Article 196 to further develop UNCLOS to regulate new
technologies that could potentially harm the environment, such as deep-sea mining,
f. Amend and further develop Article 192 to apply further legal frameworks;
2. Reaffirms UNCLOS and the 2016 PCA Ruling as legally binding:
a. To invalidate China’s Nine-Dash Line,
b. Emphasizing and strengthening different UNCLOS articles, specifically 298, 121, 87, 56,
and 3;
3. Suggesting the monitoring of peace in the South China Sea region led by the organization
ASEAN:
a. Monitoring with satellite technology provided and funded by the Federal Republic of
Germany and the Kingdom of Belgium,
b. Satellites will be monitoring only over disputed waters,
c. Observed and helped by an outside party consisting of many delegates from a variety of
countries;
4. Expresses its hope for an international fund for the purpose of environmental protection and
solving the existing problems caused by the excessive construction of artificial islands:
a. The said fund will be controlled by the ASEAN, for it is them that are primarily affected
by this problem;
5. Calls upon the elimination of excess artificial islands in disputed waters outside their own
territory:
a. Strongly suggest that the already existing artificial islands be taken down outside their
territory,
b. Reminds of the consequences if these said artificial islands are not removed from said
disputed waters,
i. Consequences specified under UNCLOS,
c. Suggest the amendment of the number of artificial islands per country, including coastal
states;
6. Recommends a multilateral code of conduct with the South China Sea:
a. Suggesting the elimination of the use of force regarding nations in the area,
b. Strengthening UNCLOS Article 60 regarding the artificial island building,
c. Would refrain from militarization features of both parties, allowing for respective
freedom regarding navigation and overflight,
d. Seeks Environmental Impact Assessments and establishing Marine Conservation Zones
under UNCLOS article 192, mainly creating a global registry of environmental violations
in this region,
e. Regulates the economic and military activities of countries in the region for
peacekeeping.