China on the move on Nine Dash Line

China on the warpath with neighbors

China is all ready to take the fight to the enemy’s camp as it would not buzz an inch as far its water or land boundaries are concerned. As expected, China has refused to accept the decision of Hague on South China Sea that went in favor of Philippines. And Philippines is not the only party but there are six more countries having similar disputes with China.

China has a long history of dispute with Japan, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia over the hydrocarbon, natural gas, minerals and other sea products available aplenty in the area which was being extracted and part of the business for all these countries for a long time worth billions of dollars.

Disputed Islands in South China Sea  

It would be worth mentioning here that the South China Sea area has almost 250 islands without any inhabitants and some of them are underwater.  All these islands fall in three different groups namely the Spratly Islands which is a disputed group of 14 islands having dispute with China, Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. This group with more than 100 reefs and sometimes submerged in the Sea.

The second group is named as the Paracel Islands having disputes in between China, Vietnamese and Taiwan. This group of islands is under the control of China for time being. China has lot on stake on Paracel Islands. And the third group of disputed Islands the Pratas Islands in the north of the South China Sea is located in southeast of Hong Kong. Apart from these three groups of Islands China has a control over Macclesfield Bank which is underwater reefs and shoals in the South China Sea but Philippines, and Taiwan having their own claims.

China has disputes for decades with his neighbors or if you go into the history even the Eastern China Sea is not free from disputes that started way back in 1894 from Senkaku Islands dispute during war in between China and Japan. At the end of World War-2 when Japan lost the battle the problem intensified and the ownership of these Islands became even more complicated.

However, the situation has worsened in recent years especially in South China Sea after the different countries having their claims on these Islands due to their financial interests in this particular area have clashed after China started developing both these zones as financial hub as well as army base. Incidentally, the neighboring countries of China having their claim on these islands have become stronger and have international support therefore the chances are this dispute will intensify in coming years.

The Nine Dash Line

The situation in South China Sea has worsened in recent years after the Chinese government increased its activity with developing artificial Island, runways, buildings, establishing satellite communication system which has raised eyebrows of neighboring countries as well United States of America because the development in South China Sea and presence of Chinese army have indications that China is preparing to develop this area as military use.

The government of China has clearly given a hint to the rest of the world of its intention that it will not back out from its claims in all these three groups of Islands or 90% of the area of South China Sea that he has claims better known as “Nine Dash Line’.