China's ambition to establish international maritime court center

(Baonghean.vn) - On March 13, Reuters reported that China is planning to establish an "international maritime court center" to ensure sovereignty and rights in the sea area that it mistakenly claims as its own.

China is illegally occupying Phu Lam Island in Vietnam's Hoang Sa archipelago. Photo: Wikipedia

At the ongoing session of the National People's Congress in Beijing, Chief Justice Zhou Qiang, China's head of the judiciary, said courts across China are working together to implement the national strategy to turn the country into a "maritime power."

“We must resolutely safeguard China's national sovereignty, maritime rights and other core interests…We must improve maritime courts and build an international maritime court center.”

Mr. Chu Cuong did not give further details about the time and location of the establishment of this center as well as the cases it can receive.

China currently has a maritime dispute with Japan in the East China Sea. In addition, China has also stepped up construction and renovation activities on occupied islands in Vietnam's Truong Sa archipelago, militarized artificial islands that it illegally built, and threatened US warships and military aircraft passing through the area.

Phuong Thao

(According to Reuters)