REMINDING LETTER TO NEWS ORGANIZATIONS

September, 2011

The Editor-in-chief
Email:

RE: China's map, incorrectly claiming most of Southeast Asia Sea as her territorial waters
Dear Sir:

We are a group of Vietnamese academics and professionals living in Vietnam and various parts of the world. We wish to express our concern about the bias shown in the map of China (i.e. deletion of neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines…and inclusion of the disputed waters and islands to the east of Vietnam) in recent articles written by various Chinese writers.
Eg:
- Science Magazine, Issue 29 July 2011, Vol. 333 No. 6042 pp. 581-587, by Xizhe Peng at
-Elsevier, J. Tai et al. / Waste Management 31 (2011) 1673–1682, Volume 31, Issue 8, August 2011
- Science Magazine, Issue 29 July 2011, Vol. 333 No. 6042 pp. 581-587, by Xizhe Peng at
-Elsevier, J. Tai et al. / Waste Management 31 (2011) 1673–1682, Volume 31, Issue 8, August 2011
- Springer, J. Geogr. Sci. (2010), 20(4), 628-640, by GE Meiling et al
- Nature. 467(7311): p. 43-51, by Piao.S. et al
- Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2011, 10.1016/petrol.2011.06.018, Dawei Lv et.al
etc

The 9-dotted line sea territory zone the Chinese authority are unilaterally using in their map of China as attached below covers about 90% of the Southeast Asia Sea, an area of about 350,000km2, (also referred to as the East Sea by Vietnam) which encircles the archipelagos of Paracels and Spratlys. This area has been a subject of territorial disputes among Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and China (which wrested control of the Paracels and some western islands of the Spratly Archipelago from Vietnam after bloody naval battles in 1974 and 1988). While Vietnam has controlled the archipelagos as early as the 15th century, the other countries (e.g., the Philippines, Indonesia Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and China) have recently made certain territorial claims only after oil and gas deposits were discovered in the area.

In the last few years, China has arbitrarily presented the U-shaped 9- dotted line map and claimed the whole Southeast Asia Sea as her “historical waters,” without any internationally recognized legal basis such as UNCLOS (United Nations on the Convention of the Law of the Sea). The hand-drawn U-shaped line has neither scientific facts nor geographical information to certify its authenticity to show to the world community. Thus, the 9-dotted line zone included in the map of China is an error of fact and a blatant attempt of China to authenticate her disputed claims.

We would like to call your attention to the implications that could be associated with the inclusion of such a map which has no relevance to legitimacy. Inserting a doctored map of China covering almost the whole sea of Southeast Asia in articles originating from Chinese institutions and destined for scientific and non-scientific journals worldwide is part of the Chinese government’s ploy. China is hoping that over time frequent appearances of such a map in well-known publications and the absence of responses from editors and readers will help establish de facto recognition of her claims over the disputed lands and waters, a kind of “deja vu” and “fait accompli” situation to win the world’s recognition for their illegal claim for the sole sovereignty of most of the Southeast Asia Sea.

Without any regard to the disputed status of the territorial waters, China has been illegally and aggressively enforcing its own 9- dotted line zone in the Southeast Asia Sea, which is dubbed as “the cow tongue-shaped line map”. In recent years, Vietnam has been suffering the most from China’s aggressive and brutal acts. Many Vietnamese fishermen working in their ancestral traditional fishing areas along Vietnam’s 3000km shoreline have been harassed, terrorized and occasionally murdered by Chinese well-armed maritime patrol force. Their fish catches, fuel and fishing equipment have been confiscated. China extorted money from the fishermen before releasing them and their stripped–bare boats. A few hundred Vietnamese fishing boats have been pirated by the Chinese maritime patrol force. As recent as late May and early June of 2011, Chinese maritime patrol vessels (naval ships in disguise) blatantly harassed two Vietnamese ships working on oil exploring missions inside Vietnam’s 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and forcefully cut their exploring fiber optic cables.
http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2011/06/10/tension-rise-over-south-china-sea-claims/

In the interest of truth and integrity as well as the true facts of the Southeast Asia Sea, we would appreciate you being aware of such “back door” tactics used by the Chinese government through their intellectuals, using your magazine/journal as a means to legitimize such one-sided and biased map like the one mentioned above.

Your assistance in weeding out from your magazines/journals/papers such dishonest articles by Chinese authors to promote their unlawful and sinister ploy against the other countries in Southeast Asia, will be greatly appreciated.

Our Vietnamese people from all over the world would be very appreciative of your positive response to our concern and to our desire to have our viewpoint known.

Yours faithfully,
On behalf of the signatories
Hung Nguyen
Email: savevietnam09@gmail.com


List of signatories:
Hoang Tuy, Ph.D, Prof, Institute of Mathematics, Hanoi Vietnam
Vu Gian, Economist, former Consultant of Swiss State Secretariat of Economy, Switzerland
PhamXuan Yem, Ph.D., Prof, University of Paris 6, France
Nguyen Dang Hung, Ph.D., Prof , Liège, Belgium
Hoang Anh Tuan Kiet, Ph.D., Commissariat Energy Atomique -Cadarache, France
Trinh Khanh Tuoc, Ph.D., New Zealand
Tran Ngoc Bich, Ph.D. (Economics), CFP, E.A., USA
Nguyen Thuong Son. Ph.D., Australia
Ngo The Hoanh, M.Eng.Sc., P.Eng., Canada
Tran Mai, Ph.D., Australia

Tara T. VanToai, Ph.D., USA
Norman N. VanToai, Ph.D., USA
Le Quang Long, B.E. Mech, New Zealand
Tran Minh Phuong, M. Tech, Australia
Do Gia Tuyen, B.E. Elect, Saudi Arabia
Tran Ba Tuoc, M. Com., Vietnam
Bui Viet Long, B.E. Mech, Vietnam
Nguyen Van Xa, M.E. Civil, USA
Nguyen Van Tu, M.Com. (Econ.), New Zealand
Nguyen Quoc Lap, Ph.D.,USA

Huynh Huu Han, B.S. Tech (Food), USA
Duong Van Tuyet, M.Com. (Econ.), USA
Bien Cong Danh, M.E. Elect, New Zealand
Ngo Minh Triet, P.E. Civil, USA
Nguyen Huu Kho, Ph.D.(Chem Eng), P.E., USA
Truong Nham, Ph.D, Australia
Truong Kim Ngoc, B.E. Chem, USA
Le Ba Hong, M.Sc, Australia
Ngo Tung Huynh, B, Agr.Sc, Australia
Vu The Hung, B.S. Comp., USA

Nguyen Danh Ngon, P.E. Civil, USA
Nguyen Thi Mai Chi, B.Com., USA
Nguyen Bich Lien, B.A. Edu., USA
Dinh Mui, B.A. Edu., Australia
Bui Sy Tuan. Ph.D, MBA, MSCIS, USA
Tran Quang Duong, B Technology (Food), M.A., New Zealand
Bui Thi Bich Chau, M.A., USA
NguyenThien Nga, B.S. Comp., New Zealand
Do Thi Nhung, B.A. Edu., USA

Nguyen The Hung, Prof, Uni of Danang, Vietnam
Nguyen-Do Khanh, Ph.D., Australia
Vuong Ngoc Diep, M.Com.,Economics, USA
Vuong Thanh Truc, B.A.Edu, USA
Pham Phan Long, P.E, Chairman Viet Ecology Foundation, USA
Vu Quyet, M.A.Edu., USA
Marie Dung Burns, M.A. Edu., New Zealand
Le Thu Lieu, B.E. Chem, New Zealand
Ngoc Bich Becker, MTA. CANDMED, Germany
Nguyen Van Hao, M.E. Civil, Australia

Le Thi Tinh Tien, M.Com, Economics, Australia
Nguyen Thi Mong Trinh, B.A, New Zealand
Dang Ngoc Hung Thomas, M.B.A, CPEng, Australia
Nguyen Huu The, M.E. Mech., USA
Le Cong Hoai vong, M.Sc. Environment service, USA
Ngo Khoa Ba, M.B.A., USA
Nguyen Hung, B.E. Chem, Australia