China: Accession to Sea-bed Treaty

The Republic of China signed the Treaty on February 11, 1971 and deposited an instrument of ratification of the Treaty on February 22, 1972.  Effective January 1, 1979, the United States recognized the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China.  The authorities on Taiwan state that they will continue to abide by the provisions of the Treaty and the United States regards them as bound by its obligations.

On February 28, 1991, the People’s Republic of China deposited an instrument of accession to the Treaty.  The text of the instrument of accession contains statements, an English translation of which reads as follows:

“The Chinese Government reaffirms that nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as prejudicing in any way the sovereign rights and the other rights of the People’s Republic of China over its territorial sea, as well as the sea area, the seabed and subsoil thereof adjacent to its territorial sea.

“The signature and ratification of this Treaty by the Taiwan authorities by illegally using the name of China on 11 February 1971 and 22 February 1972 respectively are null and void.”