China twits US envoy on sea map

From the Manila Standard Today (Jul 1): China twits US envoy on sea map

 Chinese embassy official on Monday warned  the United States to stay out of the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines and after the US envoy commented that China’s 10-days line was inconsistent with international law.

In a statement, Chinese Embassy in Manila spokesman Zhang Hua criticized Goldberg’s recent comments on China’s new maps detailing its 10-dash line claims and reminded him that  Washington was not a “concerned party” in the territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and that it should promote peace “rather than the opposite”.

“The United States is not a party concerned in the dispute in the South China Sea,” Zhang said. “Is is our hope that it (US) could do more to promote peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific, rather than the opposite.”

In his speech during the Philippine Constitution Association meeting where he was the special guest, Goldberg said that China’s 10-dash line map was not based on land features and is therefore “inconstant” with  international law.

Goldberg also called on claimant countries to resolve their disputes through tribunals or arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Zhang slammed Goldberg’s remark and reminded him that the US Congress has yet to ratify the Unclos, which was signed by China, the  Philippines and 163 other countries.

The Unclos provides for the delimitation of countries’ territorial waters, exclusive economic zones and continental shelves.

Goldberg also said that the US does not take any sides in the territorial disputes, but expressed the hope that claimants can resolve it “through tribunals, code of conduct, negotiations directly with parties not through intimidation but legitimate kinds of discussions.”

The US envoy also lauded Manila’s decision to bring its dispute with China’s claim before an arbitral tribunal. Goldberg said it was the “ideal approach.”

The ambassador made the statement two days after China published new maps showing that the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) as an integral part of mainland China. Old maps also show the same territories, but in a cut-out box placed on the bottom corner of the maps.

The China Communist Party (CCP) said the new maps will clarify the extent of Beijing’s claims in the region. It also allowed the publication to educate the citizenry.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, however, said that  countries should not “over-read” the publication of the new maps.

Zhang said that China’s sovereignty over the land and water features in the West Philippine Sea “were formed over a long period of 2,000-plus years.”

Responding to Zhang’s statement, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said that Goldberg’s comments “reflect the convergence of the Philippines and US in resolving the disputes” in adherence to international law.

Meanwhile, a member of the Minority Bloc in the House of Representatives backed President Benigno Aquino III’s diplomatic tack in resolving the country’s dispute with China despite the latter’s ‘bullying’ tactics in asserting its sovereign rights over the disputed islands.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/07/01/china-twits-us-envoy-on-sea-map/