Vietnam expressed its objection to China’s recent official map, asserting that it infringes upon Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel Islands, as well as its jurisdiction over surrounding waters. A statement published on Vietnam’s government news website stated that China’s claims based on the nine-dotted line depicted on the map are not valid. The spokesperson for Vietnam’s foreign affairs ministry, Pham Thu Hang, stated that Vietnam firmly opposes China’s claims in the South China Sea that rely on the dotted line.

Other countries have also voiced their rejection of the map. India raised concerns about a portion of the map that indicates China’s control over sections of Arunachal Pradesh. The Philippines stated that it does not acknowledge China’s extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea. Similarly, Malaysia and Taiwan issued strong statements accusing China of making territorial assertions that are not justified.

During a regular press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin commented on the map, expressing hope that the involved parties would maintain objectivity and calmness, refraining from excessive interpretation. China released the map to provide an official reference for publishers, companies, and others, as disputes sometimes arise between foreign entities and the Chinese government regarding map usage.

China asserts its ownership of over 80% of the South China Sea, basing its claim on a map from 1947 that features a series of vague dashes forming the nine-dash line. This line extends southward to a point roughly 1,100 miles (1,800 kilometers) beyond Hainan Island. However, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan also lay claim to various parts of the same maritime region, leading to disagreements with China over the precise boundary delineations.