US envoy says China’s maritime claims a ‘cartoon’

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson has branded China’s 10-dash line to delineate its supposed maritime entitlements in the South China Sea as a “cartoon.”

China had wanted its 10-dash line claim, previously only a nine-dash line, to be used as a basis for the conduct of nations with respect to the South China Sea.

Carlson was asked by journalists here about her reaction to China’s assertion for the Philippines “to immediately withdraw relevant vessels” from Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, which China calls Xianbin Jiao.

“I can certainly say that the nine-dash-line or now 10-dash-line that China has drawn its basis in is a cartoon. That’s not based in law, that is not a factual representation of international maritime law,” Carlson said.

“The United States stands by our partner, the Philippines, our ally, in terms of upholding international law and making sure that Filipinos have rights, have their sovereign rights upheld in their exclusive economic zone according to international law,” she added.

The demand was issued by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong during Wednesday’s China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea in Beijing.

The Philippine delegation was headed by Foreign Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro.

“China will firmly safeguard its sovereignty and the seriousness and effectiveness of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

PH exclusive zone

Carlson stressed Escoda Shoal is only 75 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan.

“There is no doubt that it is legally within, in national legal terms, its exclusive economic zone,” she said.

Carlson explained if the fishing grounds of Mindanao tuna-line fishers generate a million kilos of catch a day, all the more for the Escoda Shoal, which has far greater maritime riches.

“When you think that those are also traditional fishing grounds at Escoda, in that part of the Philippines, that’s not just about protecting lives or national security. That’s [also] about livelihoods, that’s about feeding people, that’s about families. So the United States, as friend, partner and ally of the Philippines, supports Filipinos in upholding their rights under international law,” Carlson said. INQ