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Connectivity and International Law in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road

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Rethinking the Silk Road

Abstract

The “Silk Road” refers to the network that crosses the Eurasian continent consisting of trade ties and cultural exchanges between West and East. The purpose of China’s current proposal to co-construct the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is to work towards a regional cooperation network with the ocean as the main carrier and wherein maritime connectivity plays the essential role. The establishment of maritime connectivity faces challenges such as the dispute about the freedom of navigation of warships, waterway security risks, and conflicting views about maritime rights and interests. The emphasis on a peaceful and cooperative silk road spirit as well as its relationship with the law of the sea, which is in line with the cooperation principles of international law, provides guidance for resolving these problems.

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Notes

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    The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the anonymous reviews for the insightful comments and helpful suggestions. The views expressed in this paper are solely that of the authors and do not necessarily reflect that of any association with which they are affiliated.

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Zhang, G., Long, Y. (2018). Connectivity and International Law in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. In: Mayer, M. (eds) Rethinking the Silk Road. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5915-5_3

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