MANILA, Philippines — In an effort to defend its claims on the
disputed neighbors in the region, China recently released its first book on the
nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea.
The book
entitled “The Nine-Dash Line in the South China Sea: History, Status,
and Implications” and authored by Zhiguo Gao and Bing Bing Jia from the China
Institute for Marine Affairs recalls a historical line of maritime rights over
the disputed waters. It also puts forth opinions on China's so-called right to
fish and explore in waters covered by the dotted line.
An excerpt of the book states, “The South
China Sea has generally been a calm area of sea since ancient times. Until the
late twentieth century, it had provided a fertile fishing ground for local
fishermen from China and other littoral states, and a smooth route of
navigation for the nations of the region and the rest of the international
community.”
“The overall position of the authors is that
the nine-dash line has always had a foundation in international law, including
the customary law of discovery, occupation, and historic title, as well as
UNCLOS itself,” the authors written in the book’s introduction.
China and its several other neighbors in the
contested region such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Brunei
and Vietname had a longstanding dispute over the claim of the Scarborough Shoal
and Spratly Islands.
As for the Philippines, it recently filed an
arbitration case against China before the International Tribunal on the Law of
the Sea looking for an end to the maritime conflict heightened by China's show
of force in the argued areas.
Philippines has also questioned China's
claim, roughly based on historical merits. Previously China insists that it has
the rights over specific areas of the South China Sea within 200 maritime miles
from its baseline, as provided in the United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea.
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