BEIJING: Scholars reiterated China’s historical claims to the islands in the South China Sea at a workshop in Haikou, Hainan province, on Tuesday, asserting that the country has held indisputable sovereignty over the territories since ancient times.
Wang Sheng, president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said that successive Chinese governments have included the South China Sea islands in their maps and carried out sovereignty activities, such as astronomical surveys and military patrols. The actions are documented in local historical records, official maps and government archives spanning Chinese history.
“During the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-220 AD), the Chinese people commenced navigation in the South China Sea. Through long-term practical endeavors, they discovered and developed the South China Sea islands,” Wang said, citing various historical documents and archaeological findings, including a manual of sea routes created by Chinese fishermen.
Wang also pointed to Western navigational documents, maps, nautical charts and national archives from modern times, which he said provide evidence of China’s historical development, utilization and governance of the South China Sea islands.
However, Wang noted that in recent years, certain claimant countries around the South China Sea and external powers have distorted historical facts, selectively interpreted international law, and intentionally concealed the truth to deny China’s sovereignty and rights in the region. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
