Every coastal community in the South China Sea has been overfishing and engaging in destructive fishing practices, as mentioned in Boom or Bust: The Future of Fish in the South China Sea (University of British Columbia, November 2015).To insist on dividing the South China Sea is akin to splitting the child in the story of Solomon and the two women. Applying the gist of Solomon’s decision, a more constructive approach to the South China Sea conflict should not start from the self-interest of the states but from the superordinate interest: the best interest of the sea itself. Realizing this superordinate interest is a necessary condition for the coastal states to sustainably enjoy the bounties of the sea in the long run.

The shared stewardship of the South China Sea. (2017, June 1). Manila Times, p. A6.