China's 9-Dash-Line claims to cut PHL EEZ by 80 percent

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 23): China's 9-Dash-Line claims to cut PHL EEZ by 80 percent
 

Allowing China's 9-Dash-Line claims unchallenged could result in the reduction of the Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by 80 percent.

This was stressed by Department of Foreign Affairs assistant secretary and spokesperson Charles Jose Friday.

Most of these areas are rich fishing grounds.

He added that this could severely affect the lives of more than five million Filipinos making a living out of the sea.

China's 9-Dash-Line claims cut across the EEZ of the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Taiwan and Malaysia.

The Philippine coastline is placed at 36,289 kilometers, one of the longest in the world.

What makes China's claims unacceptable to coastal nations is the fact that they gave no fixed geographical points, Jose added.

In fact, China's main argument on claiming the West Philippine (South China Sea) is that they first discovered and made use of its waters and resources.

Despite these Chinese claims, Philippines presence on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is more than justified by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

UNCLOS is also known as the "Constitution of the Oceans" and as such defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources.

And with the Philippines strictly following all UNCLOS conventions, the country is more than justified in asserting its claims in the WPS, Jose said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=818739