East China Sea Dispute

The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean  and covers an area of 1,249,000 square kilometres (482,000 sq mi).

There are disputes between the People's Republic of China(PRC),Japan and South Korea over the extent of their respective Exclusive Economic Zones(EEZ)

In 1995, the People's Republic of China (PRC) discovered an undersea Natural GAs Field in the East China Sea, namely the 'Chunxiao Gas Field', which lies within the Chinese EEZ  while Japan believes it is connected to other possible reserves beyond the median line. Japan has objected to PRC development of natural gas resources in the East China Sea near an area where the two countries EEZ claims overlap.Japan maintains that although the Chunxiao gas field rigs are on the PRC side of a median line PRC may tap into a field that stretches underground into the disputed area.Japan therefore seeks a share in the natural gas resources.
In June 2008, both sides(PRC and Japan) agreed to jointly develop the Chunxiao gas fields.

PRC-Japan Islands Row

 

Relations between PRC and Japan have been repeatedly strained by a territorial row over a group of islands, known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in PRC.
The 8 uninhabited islands and rocks in question lie in the East China Sea. They have a total area of about 7 sq km and lie northeast of Taiwan, east of the Chinese mainland and southwest of Japan's southern-most prefecture, Okinawa.They matter because they are close to strategically important shipping lanes, offer rich fishing grounds and are thought to contain oil deposits. The islands are controlled by Japan.
Japan's Claim
Japan says it surveyed the islands for 10 years and determined that they were uninhabited. That being the case, on 14 January 1895 it erected a sovereignty marker that formally incorporated the islands into Japanese territory. The Senkaku islands became part of the Nansei Shoto islands - also known as the Ryukyu islands and now as modern-day Okinawa prefecture.
China's Claim
China says that the Diaoyu islands have been part of its territory since ancient times, serving as important fishing grounds administered by the province of Taiwan.


The dispute between PRC and South Korea concerns 'Socotra Rock', a submerged Reef on which South Korea has constructed a scientific research station. While neither country claims the rock as territory, the PRC has objected to Korean activities there as a breach of its EEZ rights.

China submits East China Sea islands claim to UN

 

China has submitted to the UN a detailed explanation of its claims to a disputed area of the East China Sea.

It argues that certain geological features prove its territory extends out to a group of islands near Japan.
A UN commission of geological experts will examine China's submission but does not have the authority to resolve conflicting claims.
Beijing and Tokyo have long laid claim to the islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. The islands lie some 200km (124 miles) off Japan's Okinawa island and beyond China's 200 nautical mile (370km) exclusive economic zone. They form part of Okinawa prefecture and are controlled by Japan.

Japan-China Disputed Islands

• The archipelago consists of five islands and three reefs
• Japan, China and Taiwan claim them; they are controlled by Japan and form part of Okinawa prefecture
• Japanese businessman Kunioki Kurihara owned three of the islands but sold them to the Japanese state in September
• The islands were also the focus of a major diplomatic row between Japan and China in 2010