China, South Korea to Hold Maritime Talks
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Friday, April 22, 2016
China and South Korea held talks on delimiting their overlapping exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in the Yellow Sea – the first such discussions in seven years.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin talked to his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul on maritime demarcation.
Yonhap, the Korean news agency, described the mood as “amicable,” but quoted Cho as saying that “the negotiations are very difficult and important.”
Chinese foreign ministry says a reasonable and fair solution between the two countries is significant to the regional peace and stability.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: "To fairly and properly demarcate the China-Republic of Korea (ROK) maritime boundary through negotiations and consultations is of great significance to upholding tranquillity and stability of the waters and to consolidating and growing friendly bilateral cooperation."
President Xi Jinping and his ROK counterpart Park Geun-hye agreed to start the talks in July 2014 during Xi's visit to the ROK.
Beijing believes that the ownership of Suyan Rock, a submerged feature in the East China Sea in the exclusive economic zones claimed by both China and the ROK, should be determined through negotiation. The countries agree that the rock does not have territorial status, the Foreign Ministry has said.