China objects to Malaysia’s UN submission on South China Sea claim

MANILA, Dec 20, 2019, PhilStar. China urged the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) not to consider Malaysia’s submission over its territorial waters in the South China Sea, The Philippine Star reported.

Last week, Malaysia submitted a request to the committee to extend its continental shelf beyond the 200-nautical mile limit, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“(T)his is a partial submission for the remaining portion of the continental shelf of Malaysia beyond 200 nautical miles in the northern part of the South China Sea. Malaysia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam had on 6 May 2009 made a joint submission for a portion of the two States’ continental shelf, in the southern part of the South China Sea,” Malaysia said in its submission.

If the committee considers Malaysia’s submission, the issue will be discussed during the 53rd session of the UNCLC in New York from July to August next year.

China, meanwhile, accused Malaysia of infringing its sovereignty as the limits proposed by the latter would pass through the Paracel and Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

In a diplomatic note sent to UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, China’s permanent mission stressed that it has “historic rights” in the South China Sea, according to a report from South China Morning Post.

The Chinese mission claimed that the country has “internal waters, territorial sea and a contiguous zone” based in the South China Sea islands.

Beijing also claimed it has an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the area.

In July 2016, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a landmark ruling on the Philippines’ arbitration against Beijing’s expansive claims over the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.

The arbitral tribunal invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim over the disputed waterway but Beijing refuses to acknowledge this award.