CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VIII (1) ContemporaryEurasia81 | Page 77

YULONG DAI
Strait. However, as a new case, Singapore fully manifested how a
comparatively weaker claimant could acquire the disputed territory while
maintaining its amicable relationship with Malaysia in a legal and peaceful
way. Singapore’s success in winning sovereignty over Pedra Branca
benefited from the strategies it has adopted.
There is little existing research on the Pedra Branca case illustrating
the details of the dispute with its historical context and legal basis. Haller-
Trost’s research examined the sovereignty status of Pedra Branca 15 years
before the 2008 judgment of the Pedra Branca case, based on the detailed
evidence and geographical features of this island. 1 Wang probed into the
effectiveness of evidence adoption for Singapore during the proceedings of
the Pedra Branca case, in terms of balancing Singapore’s relationship with
Malaysia and the acquisition of interests from the disputed islets. 2 Beckman
and Schofield further analyzed the difficulties and possibilities of maritime
demarcation relating to the disputed islands regarding this case in
accordance with the result of the 2008 judgment. 3 Hamid later discussed the
difficulties and challenges involving the implementation of the Pedra Branca
judgment from the perspective of the Malaysian government. 4
Using the previous studies as a basis, this article aims to analyze how
Singapore, as a comparatively weaker claimant, successfully and peacefully
acquired sovereignty over the disputed island of Pedra Branca from its
stronger neighbor—Malaysia. There were four main strategies adopted by
Singapore that facilitated its territorial acquisition to a great extent, including
peaceful contact and negotiation, claim expansion, gradual resolution, and
skillful advocacy. Although Singapore was not awarded all the disputed
islets by the Court, it has won the most significant one- Pedra Branca and
also gained potential sovereignty over this island’s territorial waters. In this
case, Singapore’s successful winning of sovereignty over Pedra Branca
manifests the probability of acquiring disputed territories in a peaceful way
for weaker and smaller claimants.
1
See R. Haller-Trost, Historical Legal Claim: A Study of Disputed Sovereignty over Pulau
Batu Puteh (Pedra Branca), Maritime Briefing, International Boundaries Research Unit,
University of Durham, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1993.
2
Wang Zichang, “The Judgement of International Court of Justice on Territorial Disputes
between Singapore and Malaysia and Its Inspirations”, Southeast Asian Studies, 1 (2009): 13-
18, 25.
3
Robert Beckman and Clive Schofield, “Moving Beyond Disputes Over Island Sovereignty:
ICJ Decision Sets Stage for Maritime Boundary Delimitation in the Singapore Strait”, Ocean
Development & International Law, 40, no. 1 (2009): 1-35.
4
Abdul Ghafur Hamid, “Pedra BrancaJudgment and Beyond: Issues and Challenges in its
Implementation by Malaysia and Singapore”, The International Journal of Marine and
Coastal Law 26 (2011): 335-342.
77