“The fact that the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources issued the so-called ‘standard 2023 map’, with the inclusion of Vietnam’s Paracel and Spratly islands along with the dotted line, violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over the islands. , as well as its sovereignty, “The rights of sovereignty and the rights of jurisdiction over the maritime regions of Vietnam as determined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)”, said the spokesperson of the ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pham Thu Hang, in a press release issued Thursday.
China’s sovereignty and maritime claims based on the dotted line as shown on the “standard map” therefore have no value and violate international law, especially UNCLOS, she added.
Vietnam continues to firmly affirm its consistent position regarding sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel Islands and resolutely oppose all China’s claims to the South China Sea based on the dotted line, she said. .
China has also engaged in artificial island building and militarization in the East Sea, with illegal construction on seven reefs in Vietnam’s Spratly Islands.
Several other Southeast Asian countries have also rejected the new Chinese map.
“Malaysia does not recognize China’s claims to the South China Sea as shown in the China Standard Map 2023 Edition which covers Malaysia’s maritime area,” Malaysia’s foreign ministry said in a statement. , Quoted by AFP.
The map included claims in the sea that overlap Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone off the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
The Philippines on Thursday called on China to “act responsibly and uphold its obligations” under international law and a 2016 arbitration award that said the line had no legal basis.
“This latest attempt to legitimize China’s purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over the maritime features and areas of the Philippines has no basis under international law,” the Philippine Foreign Ministry said as quoted by Reuters.
The new map differed from a version submitted by China to the United Nations in 2009, which included the so-called “nine-dash line”. It featured a 10-dash line similar to a map of China from 1948 and another map released by China in 2013.
The “standard map” released by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources also includes disputed territories with India in the Himalayas. India, through diplomatic channels, strongly opposed the inclusion, according to Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi. New Delhi said two regions shown on the map, Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin, belong to India.
Asked about the latest map during a regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said “China’s position on the South China Sea issue has always been clear. “.
“We hope relevant parties can view this objectively and rationally,” Wang said as quoted by Reuters.
The U-shaped line drawn by China claims most of the South China Sea. This line has been internationally condemned and rejected for violating international law.
*Correction: A previous edition of this report incorrectly described the dotted line on the new map of China as a nine-dash line.
