But, because China has ratified UNCLOS and the US respects it as customary international law, there is a basis for serious direct negotiation over clarification of the ambiguous nine-dashed line and the preservation of freedom of the seas. With properly managed diplomacy, a US-China conflict in the South China Sea can and should be avoided.
但是，由于中国批准了UNCLOS并且美国也尊重其作为习惯国际法的地位，因此美国有基础要求与中国展开严肃的直接讨论澄清含义模糊的九段线、保护海洋自由。如果能有管理合理的外交，中美南海冲突可以也应该避免。