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Rep. of China and the South China Sea Code of Conduct

A dialog on the Southeast Asia Discussion List
November 1999

Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.10.9911190224460.18086-100000@rac9.wam.umd.edu>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 02:42:15 -0500
From: "Huang, KweiBo" <kweibo@WAM.UMD.EDU>

Now the Phillipines and the PRC are going to bring forward their Code of Conduct about the South China Sea. However, one of the claimants^__the ROC^__has been excluded from the related discussions and meetings. Thus, the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs made an announcement about its position in this matter.

I just wonder what the effects would be if the ROC government does not participate in the discussion or signing of the Code of Conduct at all. It seems that the ROC possesses the largest territory in the South China Sea.

Kwei-bo Huang
Dept. of Government & Politics
University of Maryland, College Park
United States

Statement made by the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs
-- July 13, 1999

The government of the Republic of China lodges its protest against the recent illegal occupation of Investigator Shoal and Erica Reef in the Nansha Islands by the Malaysian government, and the inclusion of the disputed Scarborough Shoal on its territorial map by the Philippine government, and hereby reiterates its sovereignty in the South China Sea.

The Nansha (Spratly) Islands, like the Shisha (Paracel) Islands, the Chungsha Islands (Macclesfield bank) and the Tungsha (Pratas) Islands, is part of the territories of the Republic of China, whether legally, historically, geographically or in reality. Its sovereignty undoubtedly belongs to the Republic of China. No country or civilian group can claim or occupy these islands for any reason whatsoever.

The South China Sea is a body of water of the Republic of China. The Republic of China has all rights and privileges in the South China Sea. Any activities (including the discussion on joint cooperation or on Code of Conduct, etc.) in the South China Sea region must acquire the approval of the government of the Republic of China.

The government of the Republic of China reiterates its aforementioned position and emphasises that its sovereignty, including rights and privileges, over the said islands, cannot be altered by any regional bilateral agreements or unilateral resolutions made by the ASEAN Regional Forum or any other forms of organisations.

Message-ID: <19991119083856.20129.rocketmail@web904.mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 00:38:56 -0800
From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Carolyn=20Chua?= <meepokgirl@YAHOO.COM>

The ROC does not possess the largest area in the South China Sea. It is the PRC that is the largest claimant; it claims the entire South China Sea as its own territory.

Carolyn

Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.10.9911191014550.13586-100000@rac6.wam.umd.edu>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 10:30:09 -0500
From: "Huang, KweiBo" <kweibo@WAM.UMD.EDU>

Yes, the PRC is the largest claimant^__in terms of its national territory. However, the ROC possesses two of the largest islands in South China Sea^__Itu Aba I. & Pratas I. So, I have the impression that the ROC "possesses" the largest territory in the South China Sea. Besides, the ROC also reiterates its sovereignty over the South China Sea. Please correct me if I am wrong. Thank you.

Kwei-bo Huang

Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.4.10.9911192108350.24751-100000@marie.zdv.Uni-Mainz.DE>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 21:19:55 +0100
From: Alexander H L Vu <vuh000@MAIL.UNI-MAINZ.DE>

Dear Carolyn and KweiBo,

I maintain a website entitled "The state of occupation in the Spratly Islands", but this site is in Vietnamese. Pls let me know if there is no such site written in English, I will create the updated English version.

Best,

Alexander H L Vu
Johannes Gutenberg-Universit=E4t Mainz

Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.93.991120005352.26775A-100000@oak.cats.ohiou.edu>
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 00:58:51 -0500
From: Richard Gordon Kraince <rk257386@OAK.CATS.OHIOU.EDU>

Since we are on this topic...I occasionally here mention of an "infamous Chinese sovereignty map" whereby China lays claim to parts of SEA. Can anyone point me to a reference on this, or maybe a handy website.

Thanks, Rick Kraince
Ohio University

Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.4.10.9911210220570.30404-100000@marie.zdv.Uni-Mainz.DE>
Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 02:25:45 +0100
From: Alexander H L Vu <vuh000@MAIL.UNI-MAINZ.DE>

You may consult http://members.tripod.com/Paracels/china's%20boundary.htm for "Chinese Territories Taken by Imperialism in the Old Democratic Revolutionary Era(1840-1919)" from A Short History of Modern China (first published in Peking in 1954), a text used in Chinese secondary schools.

or http://members.tripod.com/Paracels/allocation.htm for allocations of the SCS.

Best,
Alexander H L Vu
Johannes Gutenberg-Universit=E4t Mainz