China's Supreme Court is setting up its own
international maritime "judicial centre" to handle territorial
disputes.
The top court gave few details in its announcement, but said the centre
would help China become a "maritime power".
Beijing is locked in disputes with its neighbours over claims in the
resource-rich South China Sea, with tensions raised in recent months over
China's aggressive land reclamation.
It has also squared off with Japan over the Diaoyu or Senkaku islands.
'Safeguard interests'
The announcement of the new centre came from Chief Justice Zhou Qiang on
Sunday during the ongoing annual meeting of China's parliament.
"(We) must resolutely safeguard China's national sovereignty,
maritime rights and other core interests," he said, without giving further
details on the centre and how it would work.
However the authority of any such centre is unlikely to be recognised by
the many neighbours with whom China has territorial disputes.
China claims a large swathe of the South and East
China Sea, creating multiple overlaps with areas claimed by the Philippines,
Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan.
The Philippines currently has a case lodged against China at the UN's
Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
It says the "nine-dash line", which China uses to demarcate
its claims, is unlawful under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which
both countries have signed.
Beijing has refused to participate in the tribunal,
saying the court has no power to rule on the matter.
Tensions have increased as China continues to build artificial islands,
airport runways and facilities on disputed reefs, prompting calls from the US for
a halt in such activities.
Opponents have accused Beijing of militarisation but China says such
construction is within its rights and any building is for civilian purposes.
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