MNR reiterates China's South China Sea claim with ham radio history

China's Ministry of Natural Resources, which oversees the country's marine resources, has released a short film titled The Call Sign That Never Fades. It tells the story behind the international radio call sign BS7H, which is assigned to China's Huangyan Dao, formerly known as Scarborough Reef, and recognized by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) as a distinct DXCC entity. 

Released on the 10th anniversary of the so-called "South China Sea arbitration award" issued in 2016, the film argues that communications and interactions documented during multiple amateur radio expeditions between 1994 and 2007, known internationally as the BS7H Scarborough Reef DXpeditions, form a complete chain of evidence demonstrating that Huangyan Dao belongs to China.

Co-produced by the ministry's China Institute for Marine Affairs (CIMA) and the Chinese media outlet Global Times, the film features interviews with Chen Ping, former secretary-general of the Chinese Radio Sports Association who played a key role in the expeditions, and Chen Xidi, a researcher at CIMA. It can be watched at http://www.cimamnr.org.cn/info/2319.