Most of the East China Sea is shallow, with almost three-fourths of it being less than 200 metres (660 ft) deep, its average depth being 350 metres (1,150 ft), while the maximum depth, reached in theOkinawa Trough, is 2,716 metres (8,911 ft).[2]
The Korean peninsula, China, Japan, andTaiwan lie within or border the East China Sea.
The East China Sea is an arm of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of roughly 770,000 square kilometers (300,000 sq mi).[3] It is bounded on the east byKyūshū and theRyukyu Islands of Japan, on the south by theSouth China Sea, and on the west by the Asian continent. It connects with theSea of Japan through theKorea Strait; it opens in the north to theYellow Sea.
Countries with borders on the sea (clockwise from north) include: South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China.
The Northern limit of theSouth China Sea [FromFuki Kaku the North point ofFormosa toKiushan Tao (Turnabout Island) on to the South point ofHaitan Tao (25°25' N) and thence Westward on the parallel of 25°24' North to the coast ofFukien], thence fromSantyo the Northeastern point of Formosa to the West point ofYonakuni Island and thence toHaderuma Sima (24°03′ N, 123°47′ E).
On the East.
From Haderuma Sima a line including theMiyako Retto to the East point ofMiyako Sima and thence to Okinan Kaku, the Southern extremity ofOkinawa Sima through this island to Ada-Ko Sima (Sidmouth Island) on to the East point ofKikai Sima (28°20' N) throughTanegra Sima (30°30' N) to the North point thereof and on to Hi-Saki (31°17' N) inKyusyu.
On the North.
From Nomo Saki (32°35' N) in Kyusyu to the South point ofHukae Sima (Goto Retto) and on through this island to Ose Saki (Cape Goto) and to Hunan Kan, the South point ofSaisyu To (Quelpart), through this island to its Western extreme and thence along the parallel of 33°17' North to the mainland.
The sea is called the East Sea in Chinese (東海;Dōng Hǎi), and is one of theFour Seas ofChinese literature. There are three other seas, one for each of the four cardinal directions.[5]
UntilWorld War II, the sea was referred to as東支那海 (Higashi Shina Kai; "EastShina Sea") in Japanese. In 2004, official documents of theJapanese Foreign Ministry and other departments switched to the name東シナ海 (pronounced the same), which has become the standard usage in Japan.
Common usage in Indonesia refers to the sea asLaut Cina Timur (East China Sea). This name was used officially by theIndonesian government until 2014, when Indonesia switched usage from the wordCina toTiongkok instead; since then, the nameLaut Tiongkok Timur become standard usage in Indonesia. Despite this, many Indonesian media outlets and publications continue to use the former sea name.
There are disputes between China (PRC), Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea over the extent of their respectiveexclusive economic zones (EEZ).[7][page needed]
The dispute between the PRC and Japan concerns the different application of the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which both nations have ratified.[8] China and Japan both claim 200 nautical miles EEZ rights, but the East China Sea width is only 360 nautical miles.[9] China proposed the application of UNCLOS, considering the natural prolongation of its continental shelf, advocating that the EEZ extends as far as theOkinawa Trough.[10][11] ItsMinistry of Foreign Affairs has stated that "the natural prolongation of the continental shelf of China in the East China Sea extends to the Okinawa Trough and beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea of China is measured,"[10] which is applicable to the relevant UNCLOS provisions that support China's right to the natural shelf.[10][11] In 2012, China presented a submission under the UNCLOS concerning the outer limits of the continental shelf to the UN.[12] However, Japan claims about 40,000 square kilometers part of this territory as its own EEZ because it is within 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its coast, and thus proposed the Median line division of the EEZ.[9][13]
In 1995, the People's Republic of China (PRC) discovered an underseanatural gas field in the East China Sea, namely theChunxiao gas field,[14] which lies within the ChineseEEZ while Japan believes it is connected to other possible reserves beyond the median line.[15] Japan has objected to PRC development of natural gas resources in the East China Sea near the area where the two countriesExclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) claims overlap. The specific development in dispute is the PRC's drilling in theChunxiao gas field, which is located in undisputed areas on China's side, three or four miles (6 km) west of the median line proposed by Japan. Japan maintains that although the Chunxiao gas field rigs are on the PRC side of a median line that Tokyo regards as the two sides' sea boundary, they may tap into a field that stretches underground into the disputed area.[16] Japan therefore seeks a share in the natural gas resources. The gas fields in theXihu Sag area in the East China Sea (Canxue,Baoyunting,Chunxiao,Duanqiao,Wuyunting, andTianwaitian) are estimated to hold proven reserves of 364 BCF ofnatural gas.[17] Commercial operations began 2006. In June 2008, both sides agreed to jointly develop the Chunxiao gas fields,[16] but they have never been able to agree on how to execute the plan.[18]
Rounds of disputes about island ownership in the East China Sea have triggered both official and civilian protests between China and Japan.[19]
The dispute between PRC and South Korea concernsSocotra Rock, a submergedreef on which South Korea has constructed theIeodo Ocean Research Station. While neither country claims the rock as territory, the PRC has objected to Korean activities there as a breach of its EEZ rights.
In their sphere of naval operations along their littoral (in the East and South China Seas), China today possesses more naval vessels than those of the US Navy.[20] US PresidentsBarack Obama andDonald Trump have given priority to US naval operations, under theUS Indo-Pacific Command, to expand its sphere of influence in the Pacific Ocean, to counter China's growing strength, and to be ready for any unforeseen challenges in the future.[21]
^Ocmulgee, of Holmes Hole, 10 Feb – 27 March 1849, Old Dartmouth Historical Society (ODHS);Covington, of Warren, 26 Feb – 21 March 1854, Nicholson Whaling Collection (NWC);Florida, of Fairhaven, 15 Mar – 7 April 1860, inOld Whaling Family (Williams, 1964);John and Winthrop, of San Francisco, 22 Feb – 31 March 1890, ODHS;Cape Horn Pigeon, of New Bedford, 18 Feb – 14 April 1892, Kendall Whaling Museum (KWM).
^天文教育資訊網 [Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy].aeea.nmns.edu.tw (in Chinese). Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy. 23 June 2006. Archived fromthe original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved19 October 2012.
Kim, Suk Kyoon (July 2012). "China and Japan Maritime Disputes in the East China Sea: A Note on Recent Developments".Ocean Development & International Law.43 (3):296–308.doi:10.1080/00908320.2012.698931.ISSN0090-8320.S2CID153379773.
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