China Publishes New Maritime Law, Pentagon: No Navigation And Aviation Rights Can Be Infringed!

Illustration of US and Singapore warships in the South China Sea. (Wikimedia Commons/US Navy photo)

JAKARTA - The United States has again underlined freedom of navigation, in line with China's efforts to re-tighten control over the territorial waters it claims.

China issued a new maritime law requiring every foreign vessel to report to maritime authorities when entering the country's territorial waters, amid China's efforts to control its majority claims in the South China Sea and take effect from September 1.

The US Department of Defense accused Beijing of undermining international law after the Chinese government tightened its regulations, with every foreign vessel required to report to Chinese maritime authorities when entering what China considers its territorial waters.

"The United States remains steadfast that any littoral state's laws or regulations must not violate the navigation and overflight rights enjoyed by all nations under international law," Pentagon spokesman John Supple said in a statement on Thursday, citing Sputnik News Sept. 2 .

He argued that unlawful and sweeping maritime claims, including in the South China Sea, pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including freedom of navigation and overflight, free trade and lawful trade without barriers, and the rights and interests of littoral states in the South China Sea. other.

The statement came days after Beijing announced that all foreign ships entering China's "territorial waters" are required to report their ship and cargo information to the country's maritime authorities.

The new regulations relate to submarines, nuclear-powered vessels and vessels carrying potentially hazardous cargoes, such as oil, liquefied petroleum gas and toxic chemicals.

The announcement followed US Vice President Kamala Harris said during a visit to Vietnam last week that regional countries should do more to challenge China's territorial claims.

"We need to find ways to put pressure on and increase the pressure, frankly, on Beijing to comply with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to challenge intimidation and excessive maritime claims," he stressed.

For information, China has issued a new law that requires every foreign ship to report to maritime authorities, when entering the country's territorial waters, amid China's efforts to control the majority of the South China Sea it claims.

Foreign ships entering China's territorial waters will be required to report their ship and cargo information to the country's maritime authorities, if they carry dangerous cargo or pose a threat to the safety of maritime traffic from September 1.

This new regulation is the product of the revision of the Maritime Traffic Safety Act made in April by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Affected vessels include vessels carrying radioactive materials, bulk oil, chemicals, liquefied natural gas and other toxic and hazardous substances, as well as any submarine, nuclear-powered vessel, or vessel considered a threat to the safety of that country's maritime traffic.