CONFIDENTIAL
2. (contd)
conflict with Chinese training flights. We explained the problem to NCNA here on 25 May and at their request provided a map (copy attached) showing how earlier training flights criss-crossed the proposed area. On 8 June NCNA told us that the Canton authorities vere grateful for the details provided and had only requested that confirmation of the area and flying heights should be notified the day before the start of the exercise. NCNA confirmed that there were no problems over the proposed area but emphasised that it was important that none of the aircraft taking part should "stray" over Chinese territorial waters. The message from Canton did not state in terms that no training flights would take place; but it clearly implied that there would be no problems on this score.
3.
Planning vent ahead smoothly at this end until the NCN A told us on 22 June that the Kvangtung authorities had pointed out that the northern sector of the proposed short-range exercise area in fact included an area about 2.4 nautical miles in depth and 21.5 in breadth which was over Chinese territorial waters. They explained that China's 12-mile territorial sea límits were calculated from baselines drawn between outer islands and that one of the base points was Pedro Blanco. It was marked on the copy which they returned to us of the map we had given them earlier, This rock lies, about 38 miles due east of the square boundary at 22° 19 N. 1150 07.4 E. NCNA referred to it as Zhenyantou 6859/ 1484/7333: in US maps of the area it is called Da Xingzan Yan 1129/2502/4681/1484. None of the maps
As far
ve have here appear to include Pedro blanco as a base point for calculating China's territorial seas. as we know, there is no published Chinese map showing the 12-mile limit so we cannot tell whether this is the first occasion on which the Chinese have specified any of the base points where these are "the outermost of the coastal islands" (see para 1 of the hote, "China: Territorial Waters, Lav of the 3ea and Related Hatters 1959 - 76" by Far Eastern section of Research Department of 1 July 1976, copied to Charles Drace-Francis under cover of John Martin's letter of 14 July, 1976).
4.
We saw nothing to be gained in practical terms by starting a dispute about the way in which China calculates her territorial vaters in this area. We therefore moved the short-range area to the south with the northern sector at 22° N. explaining to NCNA that this was being done "for practical reasons", The revised co-ordinates were
CONFIDENTIAL
-/3...