The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS) is of crucial significance for China in safeguarding its national interests and maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea area. The sovereignty over islands and rocks is not a subject matter of the UNCLOS. Withdrawal from the UNCLOS or other relevant international instruments would not be conducive to resolving the South China Sea disputes. Nor would it be helpful to the advancement of China’s broader interests during the period of reform and opening. It is possible, and also in the interests of China, to find a solution to the South China Sea disputes within the existing framework of international rules and norms.