International Order after WWII and South China Sea Issue

Zhou Yongsheng

Professor of China Foreign Affairs University

WWII is a painful period in history and a mirror for the humankind. In this extremely hard and bitter war of anti-fascism, the peace and international order after WWII were set up and continue to exist until now. On the cost of huge life sacrifice, the victory of WWII was hard earned by the allied countries of the anti-fascism, Chinese and world people. China’s recovery and resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over South China Sea Islands is an organic part of victories of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. In the glorious days of commemorating the 70th anniversary of China’s recovery of sovereignty over South China Sea Islands and its adjacent waters, we’d like to cherish the memory of martyrs, and look back on the great war of Chinese people’s resistance against Japan, the great victory of realizing China’s unity, including China’s recovery of sovereignty over Taiwan and Diaoyu Islands, Penghu Islands and South China Sea Islands after the war. In President Xi’s words, this great triumph, marked the world was once again blessed by the sunshine of peace，“marked the smash of the plot of the Japanese militarists to colonize and enslave Chinese people and the end to China’s national humiliation of suffering successive defeats at the hands of foreign aggressors in modern times. This great triumph re-established China as a major country in the world and won the respect to Chinese people from all peace-loving people around the world.” We should treasure both the ever lost overseas territories recovered by Chinese people through long-lasting bloody war after WWII and the unity of national territories and seas.

I. The Tenacious War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and South China Sea Issue

In Modern Times（From 1840 to 1949）, China was frequently invaded and humiliated by western powers and lost a large amount of territories and seas, and the territory integrity was shattered. In 1931, the “9·18” Incident occurred, and Japan began invading China’s northeast and north territories on a large scale. In 1937 “7·7” Lugou Bridge Incident occurred, and Japan began waging a full scale war on China and at the same time occupied Xisha and Nansha Islands of South China Sea massively. Chinese people began the war of tenacious resistance against Japanese aggression and the world fascism. The role of anti fascism war in China in WWII is no less than those in Europe and Pacific Ocean. Countries all over the world should objectively look at the role China played in the war against Japanese aggression and review the unique characteristics of the way and role of the war.

First, the time of Chinese troops fighting with fascist invaders was the longest. From the “9·18” Incident in 1931, Japan began making a massive invasion upon China, and part of Chinese government troops and guerillas led by CCP, i.e. Anti-Japanese United Forces in the Northeast and armed militias began fighting with Japanese fascist army until Japan was defeated and surrendered, with the time lasting for 14 years. In contrast, the war in Europe only lasted 6 years and most of countries surrendered to German invaders after a short time of resistances. The period of the Pacific war was only 4 years. But China, as a weak country, had fought with much stronger Japanese aggressors for a longer period of time.

Second, China is one of the countries which were damaged the most heavily by fascist countries and sacrificed the most. Chinese troops and people killed in WWII are 21 million and China suffered over 35 million casualties. Except Soviet Union with 27 million lives loss, no other country can exceed China in sacrificing and cost. The US lost 0.4 million lives and UK lost 0.27 million in WWII. 35 million Chinese troops and people were injured and killed, which in fact was a cautious assessment and conservative figures of the government. So China is one of the anti-fascist fields that lost the most lives and the people indirectly killed in war were even more.

Third, Chinese troops and people had outstanding endurance and became increasingly brave with the progress of the war. In most campaigns and battles, Chinese troops made huge sacrifices. Chinese government and people continued their resistance with great willpower, taking vast land of China as war fields, didn’t divide the front and rear areas, and firmly hindered two thirds of the Japanese military power. At the same time in this vast war field, Chinese troops and people were continuously wiping out the effective strength of Japanese fascist troops and played a key role in defeating Japanese fascist troops.

Fourth, In Chinese war field the war was fought anywhere and in any form, and the war was in deadlock for a long time. The characteristics of the fighting between Chinese and Japanese troops were as follows: on one hand, there were irregular engagement and fighting between Japanese and defended by Kuomintang troops, and on the other hand, in the vast rear areas there were also battles fought between Japanese troops and guerillas led by CCP. So in the War of Anti-Japanese Aggression in China there was no dividing line between front and rear, the war was going on anywhere in large areas and vast lands. It can be categorized as “the war operated in points, lines and areas simultaneously”, lasting for long time, operating on large area and involving large amount of people.

In a word, Chinese troops and people, having made a huge sacrifice, won the final victory of their War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, recovered and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Dongsha, Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha Islands occupied by Japanese troops, and established Dotted Line of Chinese administration in South China Sea. It was the fruit of victories of Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War through huge sacrifice and any countries and powers have no right or grounds to seize the great achievement of Chinese people’s anti-fascist war. In the address at the Commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and The World Anti-Fascist War, President Xi pointed out:“During that war, with huge national sacrifice, the Chinese people held ground in the main theater in the East of the World Anti-Fascist War, thus making major contribution to its victory. In the war against Japanese aggression, the Chinese people received extensive support from the international community. The Chinese people will always remember what the peoples of other countries did for the victory of the War of Resistance…the best way for us to honor the heroes who gave their lives to uphold freedom, justice and peace and mourn the loss of innocent lives brutally taken during the war is to make sure that this historical tragedy will never repeat itself.”

II. International Order after WWII and the South China Sea

The international order after WWII is framed by a series of summit meetings held by anti-fascist allied countries on the basis of defeating Axis powers in WWII, and a series of declarations, documents and treaties. The main purpose is to let the victims of aggression, slavery and oppression be liberated; to let the territories and treasures plundered be returned to original owners; to let the people plagued in war obtain peace and be free of fear; to enhance the cooperation with countries and let them be free of material shortages. The main contents include: First, wiping out aggressive wars and colonization by Axis powers of Japan, Germany and Italy in the world and restore the world peace and order. Unless all fascist countries were defeated, never make peace with any one of them. Second, territories, islands and reefs invaded by Axis powers of Japan, Germany and Italy must be returned to original countries. The European landscape after WWII was confirmed and part of Asia post-war landscape was standardized. It was set that Chinese territories invaded by Japan must be returned to China and Japanese territory should be limited to four big islands. Third, setting up international organizations in which the UN and its Security Council is the core, and it’s primary purpose is to maintain world peace, development and safety. As one of the four permanent member of UN Security Council in its initial framework, China established its great power status, together with the United States, the Soviet Union and United Kingdom, and took the important responsibility of world peace and safety. Fourth, the provision of Enemy State was formulated in United Nations Charter to prevent fascist countries from committing aggressions. If fascist countries rearmed after WWII, anti-fascist allied countries would be entitled to eliminate the war danger of their rearmament through international order arrangement in the region. Once Axis powers of Japan, Germany and Italy rearm and wage aggressive wars, anti-fascist allied countries are entitled to wage wars against them without the authorization of the UN and report to it after the war. Fifth, maintaining international peace and safety, stopping aggression or other conducts undermining peace, developing friendly relationship based on respecting the right of equality of people and the principle of self-determination, facilitating international cooperation, and enhancing and encouraging the respect for human rights and fundamental freedom of all the humankind.

The world peace and international order after WWII was formed through the blood and fire of WWII, with hundreds of millions of people losing their lives and great damage of properties. It restored truth and justice through anti-aggression war by anti-fascist allied countries, wiping out fascism, militarist regimes, evil aggression and colonization. Its aim was to deprive aggressors of territories they greedily occupied, and to free people from slavery, and its ideal was to set up enduring world peace and order, maintain world peace and safety, and develop friendly relationship based on respecting the right of equality of people and principle of self-determination. It facilitates international cooperation, enhances and encourages the respect for human rights and fundamental freedom of all the humankind. After WWII, Chinese government dispatched a naval fleet to recover and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over South China Islands and its adjacent waters according to this framework of order. On the basis of Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation, Chinese government organized a naval fleet with Captain Linzun as commander-in-chief and recovered and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Dongsha, Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha Islands and theirs adjacent waters. From 1946 to 1947, Chinese fleet cruised the South China Sea and in February 1948 China publicized Administrative Division Map of the Republic of China, symbolizing the international order and geographical landscape of the South China Sea after WWII has been set up.

However, in the cold war after WWII, the order of the South China Sea was in chaos and Chinese territories and sovereignty over its territorial seas were severely infringed upon. Since 1960s and 1970s, countries like the Philippines and South Vietnam began to encroach on the sovereignty of Chinese Nansha Islands. From 1980s, further encroachment were made by Vietnam and the Philippines, peace and order of the South China Sea set up after WWII was ruined. Five regional countries including Vietnam and the Philippines committed all kinds of outrages, grabbed some of China’s islands in South China Sea and their territorial waters and severely ruined regional peace of South China Sea. Any country and power has no reasons or rights to ruin the righteous international order and peace set up after WWII. As a sponsor and founder of post-WWII international order, China is entitled to enjoy the fruits of the victory. Chinese government and people have the determination and ability to preserve international order and fruit of peaceful development with all the other countries and their people.

III. South China Sea Issue and Historical Experiences

First, China’s right to the islands and reefs in South China Sea is legal and reasonable, while other countries’ claim has long been invalid. China first took the actual control of South China Sea Islands in history, surveyed and marked the Dotted Lines, and made an announcement to the whole world. At that time there was no opposing country or government juris et de jure or protesters in general. This is in compliance with routines and principles on occupying territories in international laws, i.e. when public announcement after occupying territories meets with no disagreement or counter-plea, the occupation becomes legal and effective.

Second, China’s sovereignty over South China Sea Islands is based on multi grounds of history, international laws and relationships. From the historical perspective, the Dotted Line of South China Sea is based on the rights of China acquired through the practice of exploitation for 2000 years, so the line comes after the right of state, the rationality of which is indisputable. From the perspective of international laws, China’s recovery and resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over South China Sea Islands are accepted by international communities for a long time and many maps of different countries can prove this. Chinese government established the right of state and drew the Dotted Line according to the laws, so its legality is undoubted. From the perspective of international relationships, it is on the basis of international order and political arrangements after WWII that China recovered and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over South China Sea Islands, and established the Dotted Line, so its justice is undoubted. No people or laws can deprive China of this right, and no countries or organizations are entitled to negate this.

Third, that China owns South China Sea Islands is a part of international order after WWII and China is always maintaining this righteous order. The sovereignty South China Sea Islands is not only the legacy Chinese ancestors have left but also a part of international order after WWII which China is always maintaining. Some countries invaded Chinese Nansha Islands, which is a non-effective occupation, so it is invasion in nature and cannot bring about any legal effectiveness no matter how long the occupation is prolonged.

Fourth, the Dotted Line in the South China Sea is not only a historical product but also a part of righteous order of the South China Sea after WWII. After winning the victory WWII with other anti-fascist allied countries, China established and announced the Dotted Line on the background of recovering South China Sea Islands and making clear of China’s sovereignty of administration. In the practice of maritime policy, new China adjusted and finalized the Dotted Line, which showed the range of Chinese administration in the South China Sea. It is a part of setting up the righteous order of the South China Sea after WWII, and demonstrates China’s claims on South China Sea Islands. It is a treasure that history leaves for Chinese people, and continuation of Chinese government’s polices on maritime rights in a long run, which provides important ground for China to exercise its rights in near and far future.

Fifth, strong naval and air forces are the China’s effective tools to maintain sovereignty over South China Sea Islands. When China’s national and military powers are strong, some countries’ attempt to invade China’s islands and territorial waters will be restrained; While China’s national and military powers are weak, these countries will seize the chance and grab the inherent territories of China. In order to permanently seize Chinese South China Sea Islands and its adjacent waters, they coined all kinds of reasons, and even try to realize its aim through occupation of more than 50 years. Therefore, China must continue to develop its military strength and capabilities, especially naval and air force and long-range delivery and strike capabilities, and restore the righteous international order and regional peace in the South China Sea established after WWII if necessary.