Defending the rule of law at sea: lessons from the South China Sea arbitral award for global governance and diplomacy

<p dir="ltr">The 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Ruling on the South China Sea, delivered under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), provides a wealth of lessons for resolving maritime disputes globally. While the ruling clarified the legal landscape in the South China Sea and reaffirmed the primacy of international law in maritime disputes, it also exposed the complexities of enforcing legal judgments in a geopolitically sensitive region. These lessons offer invaluable guidance for governments, legal practitioners, and diplomats as they navigate current and future maritime disputes.</p>