In support of its provocative acts in the East Sea, China has recently
released a vertical map of its territory which includes a U-shaped
expansion across the East Sea, spreading to the coast of Malaysia and
the Philippines and covering both Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and
Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.
Following are excerpts from an
interview given by Hoang Viet, a researcher on East Sea disputes and a
member of the East Sea Research Foundation (ESRF), to VOV ( The Voice of
Vietnam) online:
*China’s Hunan province publishing house
recently released a vertical ten-dash map swallowing the East Sea. How
is this new map different from the nine-dash map drawn by China before?
The
new map has similarities and also differences from the previous one.
In terms of consistencies, it indicates China’s ambition in the East
Sea and that China is claiming sovereignty over additional territory.
However, there are inconsistencies in the specific territorial claims
and number of 9, 10 or 11 dashes.
In 2009, China for the first
time sent diplomatic notes opposing a Vietnamese report and the Vietnam –
Malaysia joint statement on expanded waters to the UN Secretary
General.
In the two diplomatic notes, China attached a “U-shaped
line” map featuring only nine dashes. The Hunan province’s
newly-published vertical map shows ten dashes. Generally speaking,
China’s overall ambition remains unchanged but there are fundamental
inconsistencies in the number of 9, 10 or 11 dashes.
*According to the illegal map, how will the so-called sovereignty of China be extended?
China
has always insisted on its sovereignty over the East Sea through the
so-called “U-shaped line” or “nine-dash line” claims that have globally
been recognised as absurd and clear violations of international law.
Despite having no legal basis, China still wants to use its strength to
realise the so-called “claim”.
In fact, after its publication of a
“nine-dash line” map in 2009, China met a host of national objections,
including Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, and more recently the
US also requested the Chinese Government to clarify what its “U-shaped
line” claim is? No country in the world recognises the “U-shaped line”,
but China.
*Can you please elaborate on the “ten-dash line” and
how will it fully cover the coasts of Malaysia, the Philippines and
Vietnam?
The fact shows that it covers many countries but in the
Chinese map, this line accounts for over 80 percent of the East Sea,
thereby encompassing all exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and continental
shelves of the countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the
Philippines.
For this reason, this causes a great deal of harm
to China and all ASEAN countries that become involved in the East Sea
disputes.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea (UNCLOS) provisions, each country will have an Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf but based on a groundless map since
1947, China itself has recognised “9,10, 11 dash line” maps without
clear longitudes and latitudes.
Thus, they occupy the entire EEZs
and continental shelves of other countries that are entitled to enjoy
benefits under the UNCLOS. Clearly, China does not comply with the
UNCLOS in which China itself is a member and it is trampling on
international law.
*Does the publication of this new map show
the unjustified sovereignty claim by China which has triggered greater
tensions in the East Sea?
This action is a sequence of actions
followed by China. In 2007, China took brazen actions in the East Sea
including sinking fishing boats of Vietnamese fishermen. In 2011,
Chinese ships cut the cables of Vietnamese Binh Minh ship.
In
2012, China conducted more aggressive actions in many waters including
Scarborough Shoal which is under control of the Philippines.
In
2013, the situation remained tense and especially this year, China
illegally placed its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s EEZ and
continental shelf.
*In addition to the illegal stationing of the
oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s waters, what is China’s ambition
and scheme by publishing its “ten-dash line” map?
China, in the
so-called “Chinese Dream” (also known as Dream of China), always want
to become the Number One power in the world. To reach that goal, the
country has to transform itself into a sea power. Consequently, China
must expand its territory from the East Sea which is the first point in
its strategic ambition to monopolise the vast sea area.
Owning
the East Sea will serve as a springboard for China to occupy other
waters such as the East China Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific
Ocean. This demonstrates China’s great ambition and it will be a threat
not only to Vietnam and some ASEAN countries but the whole region and
the world at large.-VNA