THE Philippines has protested anew the publication of China’s new official map that included the entire South China Sea, the Bashi Channel off Batanes Island and Taiwan Strait.
“The Philippines rejects the 2023 version of China’s Standard Map issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China on August 28, 2023, because of its inclusion of the nine-dashed line [now a 10-dashed line] that supposedly shows China’s boundaries in the South China Sea,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the release of the new map “is a routine practice in China’s exercise of sovereignty in accordance with the law.”
Manila reiterated the 2016 ruling by the United Nations-backed Arbitration Tribunal that invalidated the historical claim of China using the U-shaped nine broken lines encompassing the South China Sea.
The DFA quoted a portion of the 2016 Arbitration Award that “maritime areas of the South China Sea encompassed by the relevant part of the ‘nine-dash line’ are contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect to the extent that they exceed the geographic and substantive limits of China’s maritime entitlements under the Convention.”
The DFA said: “The Philippines, therefore, calls on China to act responsibly and abide by its obligations under Unclos [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea] and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award.”
Malaysia, which also claims a portion of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, likewise protested China’s “unilateral claims.” The Malaysian foreign ministry insisted that the 2023 map is “not binding” on Malaysia.
India was the first who spoke strongly against the publication of the new Chinese maps. The map also encompassed the land border between China and India in Arunachal Pradesh and the Doklam Plateau.
“We hope relevant sides can stay objective and calm, and refrain from over-interpreting the issue,” Wang said.
Image credits: Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources