Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BEIJING822
2009-03-27 09:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

PRC: EMBASSY NOTIFIES MFA ON R/V MARCUS LANGSETH

Tags:  PREL PGOV MARR CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBJ #0822 0860916
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 270916Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3133
INFO RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 7195
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 000822 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2034
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR CH
SUBJECT: PRC: EMBASSY NOTIFIES MFA ON R/V MARCUS LANGSETH
VOYAGE

REF: A. STATE 029446

B. BEIJING 781

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY ACTING POLITICAL MINISTER
COUNSELOR BEN MOELING FOR REASONS 1.4 (B)
AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 000822

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2034
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR CH
SUBJECT: PRC: EMBASSY NOTIFIES MFA ON R/V MARCUS LANGSETH
VOYAGE

REF: A. STATE 029446

B. BEIJING 781

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY ACTING POLITICAL MINISTER
COUNSELOR BEN MOELING FOR REASONS 1.4 (B)
AND (D).


1. (C) On March 27, the Acting Political Minister
Counselor conveyed ref A points offering assurances
regarding the R/V MARCUS LANGSETH's research voyage
in the South China Sea to MFA North American and
Oceanian Affairs Department U.S. Division Director
An Gang. An Gang zeroed in on the language "waters
we believe to be within China's EEZ" and asked for
further elaboration on this point, which A/POL M/C
declined to offer. An Gang said that "we must
reserve the right to act in our EEZ according to
Chinese law," and the MFA sincerely hoped that
the area the United States "believed to be within
China's EEZ" was consistent with the area China
regarded as its EEZ.


2. (C) An Gang continued that China hoped the United
States would handle this issue carefully and not
send the Langseth into "highly sensitive seas, so as
to avoid clashes and disputes." He stressed also
that the United States "should pay attention to the
first part of our demarche of March 25" (ref B,
China seeking a reduction in U.S. Navy surveillance
activity in China's Exclusive Economic Zone) and
"not send armed ships into our waters."
PICCUTA