A Chinese researcher says it is against international law for Japan to explore the sub-seafloor in the disputed areas in the East China Sea along the intermediate line.

Zhang Haiwe n notes the intermediate line is only one way of demarcating sea areas, but not the principle way of doing that.

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea says sea demarcation should be made on the principle of "impartiality." The length of coastline and the land area connected to the sea are both factors which should be taken into consideration for demarcation.

Thus, the expert says China is expected to possess larger sea areas than Japan.

She says the intermediate line proposed by Japan is without reason. Japan includes Diaoyu Islands, a historically Chinese territory, into its side of the intermediate line.

Source: CRI