A Chinese think tank has released a legal opinion condemning the decision of Japan and the Philippines to initiate maritime delimitation talks related to the waters east of China's Taiwan Island, saying that the move "constitutes an internationally wrongful act" because it bypasses China, which is a direct stakeholder.

中国一家智库发布法律意见书，谴责日本与菲律宾就中国台湾岛以东海域启动海域划界谈判的决定，称该举动“构成国际不法行为”，因为此举绕开了作为直接利益相关方的中国。

The legal opinion, released by the Beijing-based China Institute for Marine Affairs under the Ministry of Natural Resources, said that Japan and the Philippines announced the talks without consultation with China and in disregard of the region's specific geographical circumstances. The move violates the principles of sovereign equality, good faith, cooperation and self-restraint under international law, it said.

这份由自然资源部下属、设于北京的中国海洋发展研究中心发布的法律意见书指出，日菲两国未与中国协商便宣布启动谈判，且无视该区域特殊地理状况。意见书表示，该行为违反国际法项下主权平等、善意、合作与克制原则。

English: The Chinese Foreign Ministry had condemned the move shortly after Japan and the Philippines announced the proposed talks on May 28 during Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's visit to Japan.

5月28日菲律宾总统小费迪南德·马科斯访日期间，日菲对外公布拟开展上述谈判，中国外交部随即第一时间对此予以谴责。

Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the move severely violates China's maritime rights and interests and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS. She added that China has lodged solemn representations with both countries.

外交部发言人毛宁表示，该行为严重侵犯中国海洋权益，违反《联合国海洋法公约》。她补充道，中方已分别向日、菲两国提出严正交涉。

Relevant Chinese authorities have voiced firm opposition to the proposed talks, with the China Coast Guard and other maritime bodies conducting patrols in waters east of Taiwan Island in recent days.

中国相关部门已明确表态坚决反对此次拟议谈判；近日，中国海警及其他涉海机构持续在台湾岛以东海域开展巡航执法。

Addressing a news conference on Thursday, Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said the proposed delimitation negotiations are "completely illegal, null and void", adding that patrols by China Coast Guard in relevant waters are a lawful exercise of jurisdiction.

国务院台湾事务办公室发言人朱凤莲于周四记者会上表示，这场拟议的划界谈判“完全非法、自始无效”，并指出中国海警在相关海域巡航是依法行使管辖权。

The legal opinion said that the proposed delimitation substantially overlaps with the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf to which China is entitled under both domestic and international laws. Even if Japan and the Philippines were to reach a unilateral delimitation agreement, it would have no validity under international law, and would not be binding on any third party, the report added.

该法律意见书称，此次日菲拟划定的海域范围，与中国依据国内法和国际法享有权利的专属经济区、大陆架大面积重叠。意见书还指出，即便日菲私下达成单边划界协议，该协议在国际法层面不具备任何效力，对任何第三方均无约束力。

Dong Shijie, an associate professor at Xiamen University in Xiamen, Fujian province, said that under UNCLOS — to which China, Japan and the Philippines are all parties — the waters east of Taiwan constitute an area of overlapping maritime entitlements involving the three countries.

福建省厦门大学副教授董世杰表示，中、日、菲均为《联合国海洋法公约》缔约国，依据公约规定，台湾以东海域是三方海洋权利主张重叠区域。

"In such cases, international law calls for negotiations among relevant coastal states and efforts to make provisional arrangements pending a final agreement," Dong said. "Japan and the Philippines, by bypassing China in an area of tripartite overlapping claims, have acted contrary to UNCLOS provisions, which require maritime delimitation to be achieved by agreement on the basis of equity."

董世杰称：“国际法规定，此类情形下，相关沿海国应当开展协商，在达成最终协定前制定临时安排。三方权利主张重叠海域，日菲却刻意绕开中国，此举违背《联合国海洋法公约》条款；公约要求海域划界必须基于公平原则通过协商达成。”

Yu Minna, an associate professor at Ocean University of China in Qingdao, Shandong province, said the legal opinion clearly demonstrates that unilateral delimitation would infringe upon China's lawful status and maritime rights in relevant waters.

位于山东青岛的中国海洋大学副教授于敏娜表示，这份法律意见书清晰阐明，单边海域划界行为会侵害中国在相关海域的合法地位与海洋权利。

"Taiwan and its affiliated islands are an inalienable part of China," Yu said. "The move not only flagrantly infringes upon China's lawful maritime rights and claims, but also seems intended to provoke the Taiwan question and defy the one-China principle."

于敏娜表示：“台湾及其附属岛屿是中国不可分割的一部分。日菲此举不仅公然侵犯中国合法海洋权益与权利主张，更意在炒作台湾问题，挑战一个中国原则。”

She added that China's countermeasures do not constitute an overreaction or a change to the status quo, but are lawful actions to safeguard the country's rights.

她补充，中方采取的反制措施并非反应过度，也没有改变现状，而是维护本国权益的合法举措。

Jin Yongming, a professor at Ocean University of China, described the report as "both a warning and a condemnation". He called the decision announced in the Japan-Philippines joint statement to launch maritime boundary delimitation nothing but a political farce. "Any attempt to incorporate the waters east of Taiwan Island into another country's continental shelf claims is simply absurd. It is a political charade with no legal basis and cannot withstand scrutiny under international law," he added.

中国海洋大学教授金永明称这份法律意见书既是警示，也是严正谴责。他表示，日菲联合声明中宣布启动海域划界的决定纯粹是一场政治闹剧。他补充道：“任何企图将台湾岛以东海域划入他国大陆架主张范围的行为都十分荒谬，这是一场缺乏法理依据的政治作秀，经不起国际法的推敲审视。”

delimitation /dɪˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃn/划界；界限划定

inalienable /ɪnˈeɪliənəbl/不可分割的；不可剥夺的

flagrantly /ˈfleɪɡrəntli/公然地；明目张胆地