China has deliberately not openly declared all of its South China Sea land claims, and it has committed to defending these undefined claims by using force. Chinese maps with a nine-dash line covering approximately 80 percent of the area have been circulating for decades. Chinese leaders have stated repeatedly that islands within the area have been part of the country for centuries. In his speech at the National University of Singapore on Nov. 7, President Xi Jinping stated that “the South China Sea islands have been Chinese territory since ancient times. It is the bounded duty of the Chinese government to uphold China’s territorial sovereignty and legitimate maritime rights and interests.” Read more
