A man scans the coastline Aug. 20, 2016 in Natuna, Ranai, Indonesia. Most Natuna locals work as fishermen. Amid escalated tensions at the South China Sea, Indonesia continues to maintain its sovereignty over the Natuna Islands through security patrols along Indonesia’s Exclusive Economic Zone. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
China has been said to claim 95% of the South China Sea, running from its southern coast to the island of Borneo. Reports say that around 90% of that South China Sea falls under Beijing’s purview, while others place the percentage closer to 80. So how much of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea does China actually claim, earning the title as the most aggressive among six governments that vie for sovereignty over the same waters?
The short answer – no one knows because China has never announced a clear demarcation line and may actually want to keep it vague.
“All of this is intentional on China’s part,” says Greg Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative under American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies. “It isn’t going to clarify the position of the line because it has no legal rationale yet for what it means.”
What’s clear is that China claims more than anyone else along the sea, which is known for its fisheries, natural gas and shipping lanes. Since 2010 it has irked others by building artificial islets for military use. The South China Sea dispute is expected to surface in mid-November when Chinese officials meet counterparts from 10 Southeast Asian countries including those with competing maritime claims.
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