MALAYSIA will be sending a formal protest to China over the superpower’s latest claims in the South China Sea, which encompasses Malaysia’s maritime areas, Foreign Minister Zambry Abd Kadir said today.

He said the protest note was part of Malaysia’s strategy to escalate its response, and adhered to its customary protocol.

“As part of our established practice, Wisma Putra issued a statement yesterday (on the matter).

“Crafting a protest note is part of our practice (in dealing with such matters).

“Hence, given the statement we have already issued, our approach will involve further steps, including the transmission of a formal protest note,” he said after attending the National Day 2023 celebration at Dataran Putrajaya, in Putrajaya.

Yesterday the Foreign Ministry in a statement said Malaysia does not recognise China’s claims in the South China Sea as outlined in the China Standard Map Edition 2023.

The map holds no binding authority over Malaysia, it said in the statement.

The map displays China’s unilateral maritime claims that encroach into Malaysia’s maritime areas in Sabah and Sarawak based on the Malaysia New Map 1979, it said.

Wisma Putra said Malaysia consistently rejects any foreign party’s claims to its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over maritime features or maritime areas based on the Malaysia New Map 1979.

“Malaysia views the South China Sea issue as a complex and sensitive matter,” the statement said, adding that it needs to be managed peacefully and rationally via negotiations based on provisions of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982.

“Malaysia remains committed to cooperating to ensure all parties implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea comprehensively and effectively.

“Malaysia is also committed to the effective and substantive negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, with the goal of finalising the COC as soon as possible,” it said.

On Monday, Beijing’s Natural Resources Ministry issued the China Standard Map Edition 2023, which lays claim over Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone maritime off Sabah and Sarawak near Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam. – August 31, 2023.