China reports to UN on outer limits of continental shelf

China has presented to the UN Secretariat its Partial Submission Concerning the Outer Limits of the Continental Shelf beyond 200 Nautical Miles in the East China Sea. Experts involved in the project say that the submission, the first of its kind, displays China's responsibilities and obligations.

Physiognomy and geological characteristics show that the continental shelf in the East China Sea is the natural prolongation of China's land territory.

The width of the continental shelf of China in the East China Sea is measured at more than 200 nautical miles from the baselines of the territorial sea of China.

Zhang Haiwen, Deputy Chief of Project Compilation Team, said, "Policies on Continental Shelf mainly involve resources, including the non-living resources under the seabed, especially oil, gas, minerals, and rare metals. The resources also include organisms. So, the rights over a Continental Shelf are mainly the sovereign rights over resources."

The natural prolongation of the continental shelf of China in the East China Sea extends to the Okinawa Trough. This is an important geographical unit featuring partition.

Li Jiabiao, Chief of Project Compilation Team, said, "The Continental Shelf of the East China Sea was formed 18-thousand years ago, at the final stage of the Ice Age. The water level at that time was 200 meters lower than it is now. And the coast line reached as far as the Okinawa Trough. So, the Okinawa Trough should be recognized as the natural end of the East China Sea continental shelf."

In May 2009, the Chinese government submitted to the commission its Preliminary Information Indicative of the Outer Limits of the Continental Shelf Beyond 200 Nautical Miles.

Experts say it will take a long time for the UN to evaluate China's proposal, as continental shelf demarcation involves complicated scientific and technological problems.

Following the submission, there is a 3-month discussion period in which the countries involved can voice their views on the report.