Laws of the People's Republic of China

    Resolution:

    On September 4, 1958, the One Hundredth Meeting of the Standing
Committeeof National People's Congress decided to approve the declaration of
the government of People's Republic of China on China's territorial sea.

    Appendix: Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China
on China's Territorial Sea (September 4, 1958)

    The Government of the People's Republic of China declares:

    1. The breadth of the territorial sea of the People's Republic of China
shall be twelve nautical miles. This provision applies to all territories of
the People's Republic of China including the Chinese mainland and its coastal
islands, as well as Taiwan and its surrounding islands, the Penghu Islands,
the Dongsha Islands, the Xisha Islands, the Zhongsha Islands, the Nansha
Islands and all other islands belonging to China which are separated from the
mainland and its coastal islands by the high seas.

    2. China's territorial sea along the mainland and its coastal islands
takes as its baseline the line composed of the straight lines connecting
bas-points on the mainland coast and on the outermost coastal islands; the
water area extending twelve nautical miles outward from this baseline is
China's territorial sea. The water areas inside the baseline, including Bohai
Bay and the Chiungchow Straits, are Chinese inland waters. The islands inside
the baseline, including Tungyin Island, Kaoteng Island, the Matsu Islands, the
Paichuan Islands, Wuchiu Island, the Grater and Lesser Quemoy Islands, Tatan
Island, Erhtan Island and Tungting Island, are islands of the Chinese inland
waters.

    3. No foreign aircraft and no foreign vessels for military use may enter
China's territorial sea and the air space above it without the permission of
the Government of the People's Republic of China.

    While navigation Chinese territorial sea, every foreign vessel must
observe the relevant laws of the People's Republic of China and regulations of
its government.

    4. The principles provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) apply also to Taiwan
and its surrounding islands, the Penghu Islands, the Dongsha Islands, the
Xisha Islands, the Zhongsha Islands, the Nansha islands, and all other islands
belonging to China.

    The Taiwan and Penghu areas are still occupied by the United States armed
force. This is an unlawful encroachment on the territorial integrity and
sovereignty of the People's Republic of China. Taiwan, Penghu and such other
areas are yet to be recovered, and the Government of the People's Republic of
china has the right to recover these area by all suitable means at a suitable
time. This is China's internal affair, in which no foreign interference is
tolerated.