Archaeology of South China Sea

Recently, Vietnamese and Western media reported again that China's “Offshore Oil 981” oil drilling platform was relocated to the disputed waters. "Offshore Oil 981" has provided China with a platform that is mobile, economical, and can be used as a base to claim sovereignty in disputed sea areas. In the same way, there was a ship that carried out cultural and historical missions. The fact that this ship was recently sent to the Paracel Islands (that is, my Sailing Islands - Ben Wang's note) is relatively less noticed. This is China's first self-designed and constructed underwater archaeological professional vessel. This shows that China has the ability to quickly deploy dedicated vessels to perform almost any task the government wants.

The Japanese diplomatic scholars’ website reported on July 20 that in September 2014, the underwater archaeological ship “Chinese Archeology No. 01” with a total displacement of 980 tons and a total length of nearly 58 meters had completed its maiden flight. According to Chinese media, the ship marked the end of the era when underwater archeological operations in China could only rent fishing boats. The richness and advanced equipment of this ship made the media call it "armed to the teeth." In April this year, "Chinese Archeology No. 01" headed for the Paracel Islands and began the second large-scale underwater archeological mission in the area. In 1974, China and South Vietnam had a naval battle in this region. At present, Vietnam still claims sovereignty over it.

The report said that "Chinese Archeology No. 01" represents another major step in the highly active Chinese marine archaeology in the past 10 years. Since the establishment of the Underwater Archeology Research Center of the Chinese Museum of History (now the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology of China) in 1987 and the start of Chinese underwater archaeology, this area has developed rapidly. China has carried out excavation of several shipwreck sites, and a large number of potential sites have been confirmed.

Reported that China's archeological work in the disputed waters also extended to the Spratly Islands (ie, I Nansha Islands - Ben Wang Note). The Philippines, etc. are also competing for the islands. China has confirmed hundreds of underwater objects in the South China Sea and has been conducting archaeological operations in the sea area of ​​the Spratly Islands since at least 2013. Marine archeology seems to be a less important area. However, sending the "Chinese Archaeological No. 01" to an archeological work in a waters where China and Vietnam once met and Vietnam still claims sovereignty over it indicates that China may have a second purpose in the development of its marine archeology. This is the political goal of strengthening China’s claim of sovereignty over all areas in the South China Sea.

When the "Chinese Archeology No. 01" was held in Qingdao last year, the head of China's national cultural relics department said that protecting, researching, and displaying underwater cultural heritages will play a role in safeguarding national marine rights and interests and ensuring national cultural security. Irreplaceable important role.

According to the report, the implication is that China plans to use underwater archeology as a means to strengthen its long-standing sovereignty claim within the Jiuduan Line of the South China Sea. However, the search for historical remains is not the only means by which China persists in its sovereignty over the South China Sea through marine archeology. China’s maritime forces are also implementing regulations concerning the protection of underwater cultural sites by expelling “unauthorized” survey vessels in China’s claimed maritime areas.

It is too early to say that it is too early to dispatch the "Chinese Archaeological No. 01" to disputed sea areas to support Beijing's status in the South China Sea. However, China is clearly seeking evidence to support its sovereignty claim. The use of archaeological vessels to find evidence to support the claim will surely play an important role in China’s overall strategy for the region, and this omni-directional effort is completely unmatched by its smaller neighbors — even if they unite. In the future, the results of such excavation activities and any evidence of China’s activities in this area “from ancient times” may be widely publicized by the Chinese media.