A groundbreaking book by British professor Anthony Carty is shaking up debates over the South China Sea, offering fresh historical evidence to back China’s sovereignty claims. Titled ‘The History and Sovereignty of South China Sea’, the research draws from decades of archival digging in the UK, France, and the US.
Carty, an international law expert at the Beijing Institute of Technology, emphasized his work was done independently—‘without commissions or feedback from Chinese authorities’. His findings challenge narratives shaped by ‘political pressures and strategic interests’, urging equitable solutions through historical clarity.
At a Beijing symposium, Li Shouping, a leading international law scholar, praised the book for reviving the role of national archives in understanding sovereignty disputes. ‘Carty’s research reawakens historical truths,’ he said, highlighting its alignment with China’s stance on the South China Sea Islands.
Published in Chinese, the book is sparking global dialogue—proving academia can be as unpredictable as a Netflix plot twist!
