Undeniable historical records: Tracing China's longstanding sovereignty in the South China Sea

Editor's Note: Ten years after the so-called "South China Sea Arbitration Award" case, CGTN presents a special series examining China's position on the South China Sea from four perspectives. Drawing on historical evidence and insights from Chinese and international experts, the series seeks to highlight that, rather than resolving disputes, the so-called arbitration has become a poisoned legacy – fueling confrontation, distorting the application of international law, and undermining peace and stability in the region.

The South China Sea, a vast maritime area dotted with islands, reefs and waterways, has been closely connected with Chinese civilization for centuries. Historical records show that Chinese people were the earliest to discover, name and develop the islands and reefs in the region, conducting fishing, navigation and other economic activities across these waters for generations.

These long-standing activities, along with historical documents and archaeological findings, established an unbroken chain of sovereignty through peaceful and effective administration over the South China Sea islands and related waters.

Ancient footprints across the South China Sea

China's engagement with the South China Sea dates back more than two millennia. Historical records show that as early as the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), Chinese people were already navigating through and making use of the resources of the South China Sea. Successive Chinese governments since the Tang Dynasty (618-907) carried out administrative management over the islands and surrounding waters.

Ancient Chinese maps, including maritime charts such as the Zheng He's navigation map, marked the South China Sea islands as "Wanli Shitang," indicating that the islands had been incorporated into the territory of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) by the 15th century.

Another important source of historical evidence comes from the Genglubu, which are traditional navigation records passed down among generations of Hainan fishermen. Since researchers began discovering these handwritten navigation manuals in Hainan in the 1970s, numerous records have documented detailed information on sailing routes, directions, names of islands and reefs and local maritime conditions.

Before modern navigation technologies such as GPS and satellites became available, these manuals served as essential guides for Chinese fishermen traveling across the South China Sea. Some inherited copies, including those preserved by fishermen's families in Hainan, recorded routes involving major islands in the South China Sea such as Huangyan Dao and Ren'ai Jiao, providing historical evidence of Chinese people's activities in the region.

Archaeological discoveries have further added to the historical record. Underwater cultural relic surveys in the South China Sea have identified numerous sites containing artifacts left by Chinese people, reflecting centuries of maritime activities.

Chinese historians and maritime experts all said that Chinese people have maintained continuous activities in the South China Sea for more than 2,000 years, and that no other country can offer such abundant and detailed historical records as China to support its position on sovereignty in the South China Sea.

The formation of the nine-dash line

Before the 20th century, China's administration and sovereignty over the South China Sea faced no major international challenges. Successive Chinese governments asserted sovereignty over the islands and reefs within the nine-dash line and developed and managed resources in the region.

In the 1930s, the government of the Republic of China established the Land and Waters Map Review Committee to standardize the publication of maps. In January 1935, the committee issued the Map of Islands in the South China Sea, officially identifying and naming 132 islands, reefs, sandbanks and beaches in the region. It marked one of the earliest efforts by a modern Chinese government to systematically document the South China Sea islands.

Following World War II, China resumed the exercise of sovereignty of islands in the South China Sea in accordance with international documents including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation. In February 1948, the Chinese government published the Location Map of South China Sea Islands, which for the first time officially showed a U-shaped line on a national map to illustrate China's maritime jurisdiction and sovereignty claims.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the government inherited and adjusted the line, forming what is now known as the nine-dash line. From then until the 1970s, the neighboring countries, including the Philippines, and the international community did not raise any objections to China's sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the nine-dash line.

Historical records and international acknowledgment

Many other countries and international organizations also recognized or acquiesced to it. This is supported by a large number of foreign official documents and publications, as well as government archives.

For example, from February 1957 to February 1961, the US government made multiple requests to the Taiwan authorities to allow the US Air Force based in the Philippines to conduct nautical chart measurements and meteorological surveys in the vicinity of Huangyan Island and the Nansha Islands, which Chinese scholars interpret as acknowledgment of China's sovereignty over these areas.

Another example involves Huangyan Dao, where a decades-old amateur radio record recently resurfaced. According to archival materials shared by Chinese expedition leader Chen Ping in an interview with China Media Group, the record showed that the Philippines once acknowledged that Huangyan Dao was not within Philippine territory.

Chen, who led several Chinese amateur radio expeditions to Huangyan Dao in the 1990s, said that after the Chinese Radio Sports Association applied to register Huangyan Dao as a separate entity under the internationally recognized DXCC (DX Century Club) program, the Philippine Amateur Radio Association consulted relevant government authorities.

According to Chen, the Philippine side's reply confirmed that Huangyan Dao was not within the territorial sovereignty of the Philippines, allowing the registration process to move forward. In 1996, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), which administers the DXCC program, officially recognized Huangyan Dao as an independent DXCC entity and issued the callsign BS7H.

"China's sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and its related rights and interests in the South China Sea were established through a long historical process, consistently upheld by successive Chinese governments, and widely recognized by the international community," said Hu Wei, representative of boundary and ocean affairs of the Foreign Ministry of China.

The historical records provide important context for understanding the current situation in the South China Sea. From ancient navigation records and maps to modern administrative documents, these materials demonstrate China's continuous connection with and administration of the islands and waters, forming the historical and legal basis for China's sovereignty claims and maritime rights in the South China Sea.

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