China’s Law of the Sea

“Kardon asks the right question: not whether China complies with the so-called rules-based international order but how China—like other countries—seeks to use or change international law to serve its interests. [A] technical but admirably clear study.”—Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign Affairs

“[A] groundbreaking book.”—Peter A. Dutton, Foreign Policy

“In his new and seminal work, China’s Law of the Sea: The New Rules of Maritime Order, Isaac B. Kardon offers readers a well-informed and objective assessment of China’s sense of the existing global maritime order and how and why Chinese leaders seek to change the rules of the international law of the sea.”—Ralph L. DeFalco III, Liberty Fund

“Kardon seeks to correct a common misconception about China’s expansive maritime claims. Rather than simply flouting laws, the PRC has sought to minimize the weight of existing laws and shape new ones through its activities. The volume is a carefully argued and brilliant contribution to scholarship on the evolution of ‘global order.’”—Margaret M. Pearson, University of Maryland, College Park

“Now that China has the world’s largest navy, is it really a threat to the rules-based maritime order? Those who share this concern will find China’s Law of the Sea an essential analysis of Beijing’s practice as well as theory.”—Jerome A. Cohen, Council on Foreign Relations

“China’s maritime reach and activity will continue to be components of its ambition and power. Isaac Kardon’s perspectives and keen insight into China’s view of maritime order are unmatched. China’s Law of the Sea is an essential read for everyone who depends on the maritime domain and for all who ponder China’s approach to regional and global order.”—Gary Roughead, Admiral, U.S. Navy (retired), and former U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations

“China’s contested maritime claims are a potential flashpoint for Asian conflict. Isaac Kardon systematically explains how China, in pursuing those claims, manipulates, disregards, or violates international legal norms in ways that could have global implications.”—Thomas J. Christensen, Columbia University and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
 
“China’s rise as a maritime power is a defining element of its ascent. In this carefully researched and insightful book, Kardon documents China’s distinctive approach to the law of the sea that combines legal interpretations, bureaucratic mobilization, and maritime forces on the water. China’s Law of the Sea is a terrific contribution to the literature that illuminates China’s challenge to the international maritime order in East Asia and beyond.”—M. Taylor Fravel, director of the Security Studies Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology