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China’s new map has riled the region, with ‘collective concern’ over its claims
- Beijing released the ‘standard map’ last week, ahead of two key gatherings
- It has drawn a strong backlash and rare display of unity from its neighbours
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Beijing is facing a backlash over its new “standard map” laying claim to most of the disputed South China Sea, as well as territory claimed by India and Japan, that it released right before two key summits.
With its neighbours riled, China is attending both gatherings – the East Asia Summit under way in Jakarta and the Group of 20 talks to be held in New Delhi next week – though Premier Li Qiang will join the meetings instead of President Xi Jinping.
Japan is the latest Asian nation to reject the map released by China last week, which includes the Diaoyu Islands as part of Chinese territory. The contested East China Sea islands are also claimed by Japan, where they are known as the Senkakus.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters on Tuesday that Tokyo had lodged a strong protest with Beijing over the map. He said the islands were “indisputably an inherent part of Japanese territory, both historically and under international law”.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Wednesday said the islands were “China’s inherent territory” and marked on its maps as “a matter of course”.
Tokyo is part of a chorus of voices objecting to China’s territorial claims in what has been a rare display of unity from the region and beyond. The US State Department on Tuesday called the claims reflected on the map “unlawful”.
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