The explanation provides clear legal basis for China to safeguard maritime order, marine safety and interests, and to exercise integrated management over the country’s jurisdictional seas, it quoted a statement by Supreme People’s Court (SPC) as saying.
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The Chinese high court asserted that its jurisdiction extended to Chinese-claimed contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelves.
Professor Fu Kuncheng, director of Xiamen University’s South China Sea Institute told The Straits Times that these rules have “nothing to do with the tribunal ruling” and it is targeted to set a national policy and standard.
The Philippines filed a suit against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, which handed down a decisive victory for the Philippines in July, which the Chinese government has vowed to ignore.
According to USA -based defense expert Andrew S. Erickson, the world has not paid enough attention to what he calls China’s “maritime militia,” or “irregular forces [that] have been an important element of Chinese maritime force structure and operations”.
Beijing announced last week that it would hold joint naval drills in the waters with Russian Federation in September.
Rather than confront China directly by sailing warships past its man-made island bases in the sea, Japan provides equipment and training to Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines and Vietnam that are most opposed to China’s territorial ambitions.
The navy added that it was a routine exercise, not directed at any nation.
China has rejected as “null and void” the verdict and said it “neither accepts nor recognises” the ruling of the tribunal.
China’s actions include building seven new bases in the Spratly Islands, in the largest amphibious power projection operation since Gen. Douglas McArthur’s 1950 landing at Inchon.
Australia has been warned it could pay a heavy price for its support of the USA and a group of southeast Asian nations in rejecting China’s sovereignty to the South China Sea.
She noted that China’s navy and air force activities are in line with global law, domestic law as well as national defense needs.
Along with the USA and others, Japan expressed concern over massive Chinese land reclamation projects undertaken in the South China Sea.
Monday also marked the end of the annual fishing ban in parts of the South China Sea, which started on May 16.
After a P-8A flew over the Chinese construction zone on May 20, the Chinese Navy contacted the plane by radio and asked it to leave the area.
The Chinese military suspended carrier-based jet fighter pilot training for almost two months after a fatal crash, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
US President Barack Obama has acknowledged that the Philippines made a lawful and peaceful effort to resolve their maritime dispute with China using The Hague tribunal.
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But some elements within China’s increasingly confident military are pushing for a stronger – potentially armed – response aimed at the United States and its regional allies, according to interviews with four sources with close military and leadership ties.
