New Developments in China’s Maritime Traffic Safety Legislation: Theoretical Background, Institutional Changes, and Potential Implications

Abstract Recent legal theories and state practice have tended to expand the conceptualization of maritime security beyond the traditional security field to encompass nontraditional security issues such as economic growth, environmental protection, and the optimal use of ocean resources. In this context, the conceptualization of maritime security in China has also undergone profound changes that have significantly influenced China’s revision of maritime traffic safety legislation. The objectives of this article are to examine the specific institutional changes in China’s new regulatory framework for maritime traffic safety, and to explore their potential implications. This article uses normative analysis to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the institutional developments in China’s new maritime traffic safety legislation, discusses how the evolution of the concept of maritime security has theoretically affected these institutional developments, and explores the potential implications of the new legislation for China’s navigational safety governance, maritime law enforcement, and cross-border maritime security cooperation.