China sets up 3 ‘navigation markers’ in South China Sea

ISTANBUL

China on Wednesday said it has set up three markers, known as buoys, in the disputed South China Sea to “ensure the navigation and operation safety of ships.”

The buoys were deployed by the country’s Southern Navigation Service Center under China’s Transport Ministry.

It said the three “light buoys” were deployed in the waters near the Huoai Reef, Niue Reef, and the Nanxun Reef of the Nansha Islands.

According to the Chinese daily Global Times, the deployment of the buoys “serves to not only provide navigation safety, but also shows that China is safeguarding its territorial sovereignty, demonstrating it is the true owner of South China Sea islands.”

Beijing’s move came after the Philippines last week deployed its own navigational buoys within what Manila calls its exclusive economic zone.

The Philippines won a case in 2016 at a UN-backed arbitration court that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the resource-rich South China Sea.

China and several other regional countries make overlapping maritime claims in the South China Sea, resulting in conflicting situations.

China’s assertions are based on its “nine-dash line” – purple dashes on official Chinese maps that denote Beijing’s historical claims in the South China Sea.