South China Sea archaeology centre aims to boost Beijing’s claims
- The US$36.4 million facility in Hainan is ‘of special importance to safeguard maritime rights’ in the disputed waterway
- Beijing has invested heavily in recovering underwater artefacts to bolster its historic claim to most of the hotly contested waters
This made the waters home to the “richest underwater artefacts” and crucial to China’s cultural heritage, said Li, according to a post issued by the administration on Monday to the WeChat social media platform.
Li said the establishment of the archaeology centre was “of special importance for passing on Chinese traditional culture and safeguarding national sovereignty, security and maritime rights, and interests”.
China’s claims to most of the South China Sea – based on the “nine-dash line” – are disputed by neighbouring countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. Tensions between the rival claimants mount from time to time, making the waterway a potential flashpoint.
China has long considered underwater archaeology a way to demonstrate its sovereignty, by linking the waterway’s artefacts to the maritime section of the historic Silk Road that connected the country with Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and even the Arab peninsula.