Beijing: China on Thursday defended “historical rights” in almost all of the South China Sea, after a new US government report who said Beijing claims were almost completely invalid.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wang Wenbin was called a report on the Department of Foreign Affairs “the limit on the sea,” was issued this month, an effort to “distort international law, confusing the public, sowing regional situations.” “China has historical rights in the South China Sea.
China sovereignty and related rights and interests in the South China Sea have been established in a period of history that is long and consistent with international law,” Wang said.
The extensive maritime area has been tense because six other governments claim all or part of the strategic vital waterways, where it is estimated to be $ 5 trillion in the journey of global trade every year and which has stock arrests of rich but fast arrest and deposits of oil and gas underwater significant.
The US does not have an official position about who has what features in the sea, but maintains absolutely absolutely to operate in what the international waters pressed.
It includes naval warships sailing through features held in China, including artificial islands equipped with flying flounds and other military facilities.
The US report said Beijing’s claims “did not have a legal basis and confirmed by (China) without specificity regarding the nature or geographical level of historical rights’ claimed.” US study also said that China sovereignty claims covering more than 100 submerged features Height is inconsistent with international law; that the vessel of the area is broadly not supported by international law; And that the practice of claiming the maritime zone based on the labeling of each island group as a whole is “not permitted by international law.” China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea are not consistent with international law as reflected in the 1982 UN Convention in 1982 the law of the sea, “the research said.” The overall effect of this maritime claim is that (China) is not legitimately claiming sovereignty or several forms Exclusive jurisdiction over most of the South China Sea, “he said.
In his response, Wang told the US” arbitrarily misused the convention, involved in political manipulation with many standards for its own selfish interest, and undermining the rules of international law.
“He also renewed Chinese criticism of the 2016 international arbitration decision which mostly canceled Beijing’s claim.
The verdict was” illegal and null and canceled.
China does not accept or recognize it, “Wang said.