THREAD > This weeks' 1st SCS fun fact(s), on the expansion of Beijing's maritime claims. I'll skip the birth of the U-shaped line. You can read Chapter 2 when the books is finished, or just go ask @bill_hayton and @Chris_PC_Chung. We'll start instead post-Chinese Civil War.

In response to the 1951 San Francisco Peace Conference, Zhou Enlai declares "sovereignty" over the island groups. No mention of waters. In 1952, the PRC adopts the U-shaped line (soon to be 9 dashes) & list of 159 islands. Again, no indication of a claim to waters.

In 1958, a few months after UNCLOS 1 wraps, Beijing follows Moscow's lead and declares a 12nm territorial sea including around the four island groups. This is the first official mention of any claim to waters. No mention of the 9DL, historic rights, or anything beyond a terr sea.

By mid-1970s, UNCLOS III crystallizes int'l consensus around a 200nm continental shelf and EEZ. From 1977 to 1980, all the other SCS claimants formalize their 200nm claims. China voices support for these limits during negotiations, but won't formally declare them until 1996.

In 1976, following PH drilling at Reed Bank, Beijing declares "indisputable sovereignty over these islands and their adjacent sea areas and that the resources there belong to China." This evolution indicates China wants to reserve EEZ/continental shelf rights from the isles

By late 1979, it is clear that there is no viable oil and gas to be tapped around Spratlys and attention fades. China contracts oil and gas work off its southern coast. Still no mention of the 9-dash line, historic rights, etc.

In the late 1980s, China begins subsidizing fishing in the Spratlys to show the flag, presumably as part of EEZ claims. Official statements stick to "islands and adjacent waters." Then in the mid-1990s, China begins tinkering with "historic rights" and everything changes.

In 2009 the 9-dash line gets submitted to the UN CLCS for the first time as a claim to maritime rights. And now we're told it was ever thus. Don't believe it. The current interpretation of the 9-dash line is younger than grunge music.

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