Protest note to be issued to China over new map

PUTRAJAYA: A protest note will be issued to China over its maritime claims in the “China Standard Map Edition 2023”, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

He said the ministry has already issued a statement in response to the matter to voice out Malaysia’s stand.

The next course of action will be to send a protest note to China, he added.

“That is the practice,” he said when met on the sidelines of the National Day celebration yesterday.

Zambry, however, did not indicate as to when the note will be handed over to China.

On Monday, China’s Natural Resources Ministry issued the “China Standard Map Edition 2023”, which also covers the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) maritime areas of Malaysia near Sabah and Sarawak, Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, as well as several areas in India.

On Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said Malaysia does not recognise China’s claims in the South China Sea, as outlined in the map, which also encompasses Malaysia’s maritime areas.

Wisma Putra also said in the statement that the map holds no legal or binding authority over Malaysia.

The map, among other things, displays China’s unilateral maritime claims that encroach upon Malaysia’s maritime areas in Sabah and Sarawak, based on the 1979 Malaysia New Map, the ministry said in the statement.

The ministry noted that as previously emphasised by the Malaysian government regarding the South China Sea issue, including maritime boundary matters, the country consistently rejects any foreign party’s claims to sovereignty rights and jurisdiction over maritime features or areas based on the 1979 Malaysia New Map.

“Malaysia also views the South China Sea issue as a complex and sensitive matter that needs to be managed peacefully and rationally through dialogue and negotiations, based on provisions of international laws.

“Malaysia remains committed to cooperating to ensure all parties implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea comprehensively and effectively,” the ministry’s statement read.