Whose island is it? Territorial Issues in the Pacific
Debra Troxell, NBCTLeslie Martin, NBCT
West Forsyth High School
Reasons to Claim Territories
• Fishing Rights
• Gas and Oil Reserves
• Shipping Lanes
• Nationalism
• Historic tensions (Japanese imperialism)
• Military Strategy
Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands
• 8 uninhabited islands in the East China Sea
• Ancient times – the Chinese province of Taiwan administered islands of “Diaoyu”
• 1895 – Sino-Japanese War, Taiwan was ceded to Japan; Japan claimed the “Senkaku Islands”
• 1951 – Treaty of San Francisco, Japan renounced the islands; China inquired about the islands but was not invited to the Treaty of San Francisco
Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands
• Renewed Interest:– Apr. 2012 – Tokyo governor planned to use
public money to buy 3 of the islands from a private Japanese owner. The national Japanese government stepped in and purchased
– Nov. 2013 – China announces a new air defense zone; Japan is ignoring it (since Japan doesn’t even recognize there is a dispute)
– Nov. 2014 – Japan and China have opened discussions on the topic
Lesson Ideas
• What happens to land acquired due to Territorial Expansion during imperialism or war?
• At what date/occasion does the map “reset”?
• How does the UNCLOS help determine ownership of uninhabited areas?
South China Sea
• Since 17th Cen. – Vietnam claims to have ruled the Paracels and Spratlys
• 1947 – China released map including the Paracels and Spratlys
• Taiwan, Brunei, Philippines & Malaysia also claim parts of the South China Sea
• Taiwan and Malaysia each claim part of the Spratlys
• Philippines claim the Scarborough Shoals• Brunei claims EEZ but no islands• The Spratlys have natural gas, seafood and oil
Lesson Ideas
• Should created land be treated differently than existing land?
• Will China inhabiting the newly created islands change the perception of ownership of uninhabited areas?
• Does the presence of natural resources change the procedure?
Dokdo/Takeshima
• Territorial dispute between S. Korea and Japan
• Each country claims islands as early as 17th Century
• S. Korean Dokdo was annexed by Japan in 1905 and S. Korea claims it was rightfully restored after WWII.
• Japan claims the S. Korea illegally claimed the island after the San Francisco Treaty
Dokdo/Takeshima
• Japan has offered to bring the case to the International Court of Justice.
• S. Korea refuses claiming there is no territorial dispute. (Which is the same logic Japan uses regarding Senkaku)
Lessons
• Kenneth Keller: Dokdo – Developing an Information Based Position using Geodata
• Michael Robinson: This is Our Land
• Kate Trindle: Think Tank Activity: The Dilemma of Dokdo
• Kelly Swanson: Dokdo/Takeshima: Who owns it?
• Doug Andersen: Get a Piece of the R.O.K.
Lesson Ideas
• Examine the post-WWII relationship between S. Korea and Japan.
• What is the International Court of Justice?
• Does the nature of the dispute change because a Korean couple inhabit the Liancourt Rocks?
• Apply the situation to the Crimea.