[ad_1]
A Chinese military expert admitted that the country should remove the illegal “9-line line” drawn by Beijing to claim control of up to 90% of the South China Sea.
Speaking at an online seminar on maritime disputes organized by the East Asian Institute (EAI) in collaboration with the ISEAS Institute – Yusof Ishak on September 18, Dr. Li Nan, China Research Specialist at EAI Strong: “It is Time for China to give up the 9-point line. It’s not in the national interest. “
|
| The Liaoning aircraft carrier and its warships accompany them during an exercise in the South China Sea. Photo: Reuters |
In practice, Li added, in fact, abandoning the 9-stroke line could also help China strengthen its soft power and win sympathy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
According to the Strait Times, the speakers attending the webinar “East Sea Disputes: Confrontation between the United States and China, Laws and Prospects for a Code of Conduct” are mostly academic. They agreed that ASEAN and China are unlikely to issue guidance on actions in the South China Sea by the end of next year due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tensions between China and ASEAN claimants in the South China Sea have increased this year. Earlier this month, Indonesia sent a protest letter against Beijing after a Chinese coast guard violated its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the island of Natuna for two days.
Despite the 9-dash line violating international law of the sea and facing increasing opposition from neighboring countries and the international community, Beijing is increasingly taking aggressive action in the South China Sea.
According to Dr. Li, the Chinese Coast Guard had to follow orders from its superiors to protect the 9-line line and “causes problems with the coastal states.”
In 2016, the Permanent Court in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled that China’s claims in the South China Sea via the 9-dash line had no legal basis after the Philippines took the case to an international court thanks to trial. .
The United States supports the ruling, publicly calling Beijing’s claims “illegal” for the first time in July.
Tuan anh
US sends destroyers to South China Sea, China warns of ‘military accident’
The Chinese military warned of the risk of “military accidents” after the US guided missile destroyer USS Mustin entered the South China Sea.
US spy planes are ‘heavily patrolled’ in the South China Sea
A US spy plane conducted a “heavy patrol” on September 8 in the waters between the Chinese island of Hainan and the sovereign Paracel Islands of Vietnam.
