Vietnam's submission on continental shelf illegal

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-08 22:15

BEIJING - China on Friday refuted Vietnam's submission of a report on outer limits of continental shelf to the United Nations, saying its claim, which infringes upon China's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the South China Sea, is illegal and invalid.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu made the remarks on Friday when asked for comments on Vietnam's submission on outer limits of continental shelf to UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS).

"China has indisputable sovereignty over the Xisha and Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, and has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the seabed and subsoil in the region," Ma said.

Malaysia and Vietnam presented a joint submission to the United Nations on Wednesday, one week before the May 13 deadline set by the United Nations for countries to submit claims over extended continental shelves.

On Thursday Vietnam presented a separate report.

But according to the Rules of Procedure of CLCS, "in cases where a land or maritime dispute exists, the commission shall not consider and qualify a submission made by any of the states concerned in the dispute."

Ma said the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations had already presented a note to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

"The Chinese government expatiated its solemn and just stance in the note, and urged the CLCS not to consider the submission in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Rules of Procedure of CLCS," Ma added.