Let me remind you that international law (UNCLOS) allows any country to build artificial islands as long as it is within their administrative rights to do so.
Nowhere did I say that was not the case.
A natural island or artificial is an asset, a property of a sovereign country, and that sovereign country has the right for self-defense. Whether it is subject to 12nm entitlement requires negotiation and international laws where it is allowed. We have not yet make any claim on 12nm of artificial islands. Let us remind you of that.
Article 60
Artificial islands, installations and structures in the exclusive economic zone
1. In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State shall have the exclusive right to construct and to authorize and regulate the construction, operation and use of:
(a) artificial islands;
(b) installations and structures for the purposes provided for in article 56 and other economic purposes;
(c) installations and structures which may interfere with the
exercise of the rights of the coastal State in the zone.
2. The coastal State shall have exclusive jurisdiction over such artificial islands, installations and structures, including jurisdiction with regard to customs, fiscal, health, safety and immigration laws and regulations.
3. Due notice must be given of the construction of such artificial islands, installations or structures, and permanent means for giving warning of their presence must be maintained. Any installations or structures which are abandoned or disused shall be removed to ensure safety of navigation, taking into account any generally accepted international standards established in this regard by the competent international organization. Such removal shall also have due regard to fishing, the protection of the marine environment and the rights and duties of other States. Appropriate publicity shall be given to the depth, position and dimensions of any installations or structures not entirely removed.
4. The coastal State may, where necessary, establish reasonable safety zones around such artificial islands, installations and structures in which it may take appropriate measures to ensure the safety both of navigation and of
the artificial islands, installations and structures.
5. The breadth of the
safety zones shall be determined by the coastal State, taking into account applicable international standards. Such zones shall be designed to ensure that they are reasonably related to the nature and function of the artificial islands, installations or structures, and
shall not exceed a distance of 500 metres around them, measured from each point of their outer edge, except as authorized by generally accepted international standards or as recommended by the competent international organization. Due notice shall be given of the extent of safety zones.
6. All ships must respect these safety zones and shall comply with generally accepted international standards regarding navigation in the vicinity of artificial islands, installations, structures and safety zones.
7. Artificial islands, installations and structures and the safety zones around them may not be established where interference may be caused to the use of recognized sea lanes essential to international navigation.
8.
Artificial islands, installations and structures do not possess the status of islands. They have no territorial sea of their own, and their presence does not affect the delimitation of the territorial sea, the exclusive economic
zone or the continental shelf.
PART VIII
REGIME OF ISLANDS
Article 121
Regime of islands
1. An island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide.
2. Except as provided for in paragraph 3, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf of an island are determined in accordance with the provisions of this Convention applicable to other land territory.
3. Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
Our position is always consistent with international norm and laws. There should be no double standard regarding to any state interest. An analogy to jumping of a cliff is a false statement. That is essentially telling us to watch other claimants building up islands while we stand and watch.
Just because others do brake the law, doesn't mean it is ok for you to brake the law. If that were the case, we'ld all be making money pushing dope and getting away with it.
It is never about the resources. This accusation is unacceptable. It is about protecting our sea lane from subject of intimidation on blockage, forming an intelligent network to defend national security, and to provide humanitarian aid to civilian commercial ships. I'm sure you know that too well.
So, your sea lanes are more important than those of South Korea of Japan?
And it is not about resources?
Rich Resources in the South China Sea
All of which well inside the 12 nmi territorial waters, as measured from mainland.
I.e. not the kind of thing we are discussion here (artificial islands in the EEZ).