Cambridge Scholars Publishing Revolution, State Succession, International Treaties and the Diaoyu/Diaoyutai Islands

Dynamism in Sino-Japanese relations, of which the Diaoyu/Diaoyutai Islands dispute constitutes a major part, has greatly overshadowed not only prospects of positive collaboration between China and Japan, but also regional order in East Asia. On the surface, the essence of the dispute focused on sovereignty, which entails competition for maritime resources development and strategic access to the adjacent waters as a critical transportation and military route. What lies at the crux, however, is the conflict between different sets of values, which lead and shape their interpretations of international treaties, changes of governments, and impacts of this upon these Asian states’ attitudes toward how “sovereignty” and “territory” should be understood in contemporary Asia. The Diaoyu/Diaoyutai Islands dispute has lapsed into dormancy, since intense discussions in the period from 2010 to 2012. However, the disagreement is far from being resolved. This book draws on structural issues underlying the on-going dispute, along with the concomitant, multifaceted challenges that need to be investigated. At a juncture when the prospect of the Sino-Japanese relations remains gloomy, this book provides conceptual and practical insights invaluable to the field of law, history and politics, shedding light on the refinement of relevant international law and rules of engagement in a normative sense. About the Author Dr Tseng Hui-Yi is currently an Associate Research Fellow in the East Asian Institute (EAI) at the National University of Singapore. Having studied international law and international courts in the UK and the USA, she joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiation team for the Taiwanese government, focusing on the WTO dispute settlement system. Her research interests cover international dispute settlement, and institution-building and shifting in the legal and political landscape from a smaller actor’s view and how this concept impacts on Asia. Tseng has published three books on maritime territorial disputes involving China, and has published several articles in various national and international journals.