Malaysia does not recognise China’s claims in the South China Sea

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia does not recognise China’s claims in the South China Sea, as outlined in the “China Standard Map Edition 2023,” which also encompasses Malaysia’s maritime areas, says the Foreign Ministry.

In a statement on Wednesday (Aug 30) Wisma Putra also said the map holds no binding authority over Malaysia.

The map, among other things, displays China’s unilateral maritime claims that encroach upon Malaysia’s maritime areas in Sabah and Sarawak, based on the 1979 Malaysia New Map,” it said.

Furthermore, as previously emphasised by the Malaysian Government regarding the South China Sea issue, including maritime boundary matters, Malaysia consistently rejects any foreign party’s claims to sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over maritime features or maritime areas based on the 1979 Malaysia New Map.

“Malaysia also views the South China Sea issue as a complex and sensitive matter,” the statement said.

This issue needs to be managed peacefully and rationally through dialogue and negotiations based on provisions of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

“Malaysia remains committed to cooperating to ensure all parties implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea comprehensively and effectively.

“Malaysia is also committed to the effective and substantive negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), with the goal of finalizing the COC as soon as possible,” it said.

On Monday, the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources issued the “China Standard Map Edition 2023,” which also covered the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) maritime areas of Malaysia near Sabah and Sarawak, Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam, as well as several areas in India. – BK