Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines joined India in protesting China’s new map, which shows many disputed territories in the region as its own.
New Map
The “China Standard Map Edition 2023,” issued by the country’s Ministry of Natural Resources on Monday, shows a “tenth dash” to the east of Taiwan, thus underlining Beijing’s claims over the island.
This comes in addition to the U-shaped nine-dash line that China uses to suggest its legitimate claim over almost 90 per cent of the strategically located South China Sea (SCS).
The SCS includes the Scarborough Shoal, claimed by the Philippines and China; the Spratly Islands, claimed by Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, China, and Malaysia; and the Paracel Islands, with overlapping claims by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
Malaysia Protests Claim
To this end, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister (FM) Zambry Abdul Kadir said on Thursday that Kuala Lumpur will send a protest note to Beijing.
The ministry had earlier said that it does not recognise Chinese claims in the SCS, adding that the map holds no binding authority over Malaysia.
“Malaysia also views the South China Sea issue as a complex and sensitive matter,” the ministry said, adding that the issue needs to be managed “peacefully and rationally through dialogue and negotiations based on provisions of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).”
"Maps should comply with UNCLOS", Indonesia joins India, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan in opposing the new China Map. https://t.co/O4Nuqo31RF pic.twitter.com/vjoz5DvkI9
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 1, 2023
Philippines Protests Claim
Similarly, the Philippines said that China’s latest attempt to legitimise “purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones has no basis under international law, particularly the UNCLOS 1982.”
Indonesia
Indonesian FM Retno Marsudi also chipped in on Thursday, saying that “Any line drawing, any claim made must be in accordance with UNCLOS 1982.”
She added that Indonesia’s position on the matter “is not a new position, but a position that has always been conveyed consistently.”
India
The map also shows the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai Chin region to fall within the Chinese borders.
Following this, India lodged a strong protest with Beijing and said that “Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality.”