BEIJING, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Releasing the geographic coordinates of
Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets marks China's latest move to
affirm its sovereignty and administrative jurisdiction over the islands,
according to a maritime expert.
China has had the islands under continuous surveillance for a long time, said Jia Yu, vice director of the China Institute for Marine Affairs attached to the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), in an interview with Xinhua on Saturday.
The SOA announced the exact longitude and latitude of Diaoyu Island and 70 of its affiliated islets while publishing location maps, three-dimension effect graphs and sketch maps for the islands on Saturday.
Since 2009, the SOA carried out a general survey of all Chinese islands, including the Diaoyu Islands, and announced their standard names and locations in March, Jia said.
"Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets have been an inherent part of Chinese territory since ancient times and China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands," Jia said.
Announcing the geographic codes is an important step for the country to exercise its administrative jurisdiction over the islands, he said.
"Only the sovereign state and its government can do that and no other nation, organization or individual has the right to do it. Even if they did, the announcement would be invalid," he said.
The move also aims to help the public learn about the islands more vividly through the location maps, three-dimension effect graphs and sketch maps, provided that it remains difficult for the general public to visit the islands, Jia said.
"Through these documents, the country will conduct better surveillance and protection over the islands for future development," Jia added.
On Monday, the Chinese government announced the base points and baselines of the territorial waters of Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets, as well as the names and coordinates of 17 base points.
Also on Thursday, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Li Baodong met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and filed a copy of the Chinese government's Diaoyu Islands baseline announcement with the United Nations.
"The two sets of coordinates are meant to maintain China's sovereignty over the land as well as its adjacent waters," Jia said.
UN receives China announcement on Diaoyu Islands baseline
The United Nations has received a copy of Chinese government’s Diaoyu Islands baseline announcement, submitted by China’s permanent representative to UN, Li Baodong.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the document will be dealt with appropriately on the basis of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. On Thursday, Li Baodong met with Ban Ki-moon, and filed the copy, officially fulfilling the country’s obligations as stipulated in the UN Convention.
Under the Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal states are required to deposit with the UN chief charts showing straight baselines and archipelagic baselines, as well as lists of geographical coordinates.
China has had the islands under continuous surveillance for a long time, said Jia Yu, vice director of the China Institute for Marine Affairs attached to the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), in an interview with Xinhua on Saturday.
The SOA announced the exact longitude and latitude of Diaoyu Island and 70 of its affiliated islets while publishing location maps, three-dimension effect graphs and sketch maps for the islands on Saturday.
Since 2009, the SOA carried out a general survey of all Chinese islands, including the Diaoyu Islands, and announced their standard names and locations in March, Jia said.
"Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets have been an inherent part of Chinese territory since ancient times and China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands," Jia said.
Announcing the geographic codes is an important step for the country to exercise its administrative jurisdiction over the islands, he said.
"Only the sovereign state and its government can do that and no other nation, organization or individual has the right to do it. Even if they did, the announcement would be invalid," he said.
The move also aims to help the public learn about the islands more vividly through the location maps, three-dimension effect graphs and sketch maps, provided that it remains difficult for the general public to visit the islands, Jia said.
"Through these documents, the country will conduct better surveillance and protection over the islands for future development," Jia added.
On Monday, the Chinese government announced the base points and baselines of the territorial waters of Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets, as well as the names and coordinates of 17 base points.
Also on Thursday, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Li Baodong met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and filed a copy of the Chinese government's Diaoyu Islands baseline announcement with the United Nations.
"The two sets of coordinates are meant to maintain China's sovereignty over the land as well as its adjacent waters," Jia said.
Play VideoThe United Nations has received a copy of Chinese government’s Diaoyu Islands baseline announcement, submitted by China’s permanent representative to UN, Li Baodong.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the document will be dealt with appropriately on the basis of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. On Thursday, Li Baodong met with Ban Ki-moon, and filed the copy, officially fulfilling the country’s obligations as stipulated in the UN Convention.
Under the Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal states are required to deposit with the UN chief charts showing straight baselines and archipelagic baselines, as well as lists of geographical coordinates.
Related stories
Books show China's historic links to Diaoyu Islands 2012-09-15
- China announces geographic codes for Diaoyu Islands 2012-09-15
- Assistant foreign minister: Japan's tricks cannot change China's sovereignty over Diaoyu Islands 2012-09-15
- China: Patrol mission around Diaoyu Islands is legal
Anti Japanese rally over Diayo Island erupted in twenty over cities in China :
Related posts
When Japan rise, Asia and the world are in troubles. Japan risen during 19th and 20th centuries, started wars and illegally occupied Asian neighbors and the Pacific islands. As a defeated nations in WW2, Japan should have returned the ill gotten lands like Diaoyu Islands and Okinawa, etc.
ReplyDeleteUnlike WW2 defeated nations like German leaders who apologized to their neighbor victors, Japan leaders worship its War Criminals Shrine! When can we expect Japan to apologize to Asian neighbors for the wars and the atrocities?
Japan right-wingers revival the militarism with the support of US, behaves like the hegemony, wants to keep/get more lands and concessions from the neighbors even the WW2 victors, China and Korea, etc.
Japan always worships the strong like USA and takes advantages of others. For Japan own goodness sake, hope China teach Japan a lesson for stirring up the troubles.