Japanese House of Representatives plenary session on the 18th through the “low water line and base facilities security preparedness bill.” The bill for the protection of Japan’s southernmost Okinotori (China says Okinotorishima reef) and the easternmost of the South Bird Island, etc., to maintain Japan’s undersea resource development and the interests of the exclusive economic zone.
The bill requires the ship to dock facilities in the absence of Okinotori, through the establishment of base economic activity, domestic and international publicity to the “red bird” is an island. In the South around Bird Island, ready to promote the development of seabed resources.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu on January 19 in a routine press conference to reiterate Japan to Okinotorishima reef base point, advocates a large area under the jurisdiction of waters not meeting the international law of the sea, and severely damaged the international community as a whole.
Jiang Yu said on Okinotorishima reef issues, “United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea” section 121, paragraph 3, clearly states: can not sustain human habitation or economic life of the reef itself, should not be exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
He stressed that Okinotorishima reef above water at high tide in the sea area of less than 10 square meters, is clearly the “Convention” under rocks, so should not have exclusive economic zone or continental shelf, the construction of artificial facilities not change its legal status .
