Dispute looms over continental shelf claims by Korea, China

I think we really have to pay attention to all these Asian territorial disputes.  Here is another one to add to the list.

V/R

Dave

Dispute looms over continental shelf claims by Korea, China

http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20121223000199

Published : 2012-12-23 18:55
Updated : 2012-12-23 18:56

China has claimed a greater portion of its continental shelf in the East China Sea in a document it recently submitted to the United Nations, in an apparent bid to raise its stake in territorial rows with its neighbors. 

The U.N. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf’s website showed on Sunday Beijing’s claim to the edge of its seabed beyond its 200 nautical mile (370 kilometer) exclusive economic zone from the baselines of its territorial waters. 

The report, filed on Dec. 14, said “geomorphologic and geological features” prove that China’s ocean floor “naturally” stretches to the Okinawa Trough, some 200 kilometers from its coast. It also shows that in comparison with its preliminary filing, the country had slightly expanded its claim northeastward, widening the overlap with Korea’s claim. 

Seoul’s Foreign Ministry is expected to turn in its own formal statement as early as Wednesday. It reportedly plans to maintain the country’s outer limit of continental shelf is closer to Japan than it said in its 2009 claim, based on research by the state-run Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources. 

The contested areas are believed to hold vast crude and natural gas reserves.

(Continued at the link below)

http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20121223000199

Chinese police plan to board vessels in disputed seas

Some interesting excerpts:

New rules, which come into effect on January 1, will allow Hainan police to board and seize control of foreign ships which "illegally enter" Chinese waters and order them to change course or stop sailing, the official China Daily reported. 

"If foreign ships or crew members violate regulations, Hainan police have the right to take over the ships or their communication systems, under the revised regulations," it added.

As a friend who forwarded this to me asked: Does this mean that they will board US vessels?  Guess we are living in interesting times.  Note comments from our good friend Juancho Sabban.  Count on him to test this and stir things up (when he has US warships in the area providing overwatch).

V/R

Dave

Chinese police plan to board vessels in disputed seas

6:28am EST

By Ben Blanchard and Manuel Mogato

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/29/us-china-seas-idUSBRE8AS05E20121129

BEIJING/MANILA (Reuters) - Police in the southern Chinese island province of Hainan will board and search ships which illegally enter what China considers its territory in the disputed South China Sea, state media said on Thursday, a move likely to add to tensions.

The South China Sea is Asia's biggest potential military trouble spot with several Asian countries claiming sovereignty over waters believed to be rich in oil and gas.

The shortest route between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, it has some of the world's busiest shipping lanes. More than half the globe's oil tanker traffic passes through it.

New rules, which come into effect on January 1, will allow Hainan police to board and seize control of foreign ships which "illegally enter" Chinese waters and order them to change course or stop sailing, the official China Daily reported.

"Activities such as entering the island province's waters without permission, damaging coastal defense facilities and engaging in publicity that threatens national security are illegal," the English-language newspaper said.

"If foreign ships or crew members violate regulations, Hainan police have the right to take over the ships or their communication systems, under the revised regulations," it added.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/29/us-china-seas-idUSBRE8AS05E20121129