Negotiations to settle maritime borders

By Wang Linyan (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-13 07:51

China said Tuesday it will establish its maritime boundaries through peaceful negotiations.

The government will safeguard maritime rights and interests in accordance with consistent views and stances, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said.

Fishing boats anchor at bay in Sanya, Hainan province, on May 7. [Chen Qian]

"Meanwhile, the government, in the principle of fairness, will mark its maritime boundaries through peaceful negotiations with neighboring maritime countries," Ma said.

China has always advocated political solutions to disputes over maritime boundaries in line with UN conventions, analysts said.

"Peaceful negotiation is the best way to solve the disputes, and cooperation benefits all countries concerned," said Wang Hanling, an expert on marine law with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations submitted its claim on the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles to the United Nations on Monday. The document includes some parts of the East China Sea.

The deadline for submissions is Wednesday.

Ma said China reserves its right to submit claims on the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in other areas.

"China has indisputable sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters," Ma said.

China has urged the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf not to review a submission from Vietnam and a joint submission from Malaysia and Vietnam that question the location of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.

Vietnam submitted its information last Thursday and presented the joint submission with Malaysia last Wednesday.

The submissions infringed upon China's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the South China Sea, the Chinese mission said.

Because of the opposition from China, the CLCS will not consider the joint submission, a Chinese mission spokesman has told Xinhua.

Analysts said Malaysia and Vietnam intend to define their position and rights in the South China Sea through the joint submission. By submitting information to the commission, the two countries also intend to make the South China Sea an international issue, Wang said.

Xinhua contributed to the story