World Meteorological Organization removes ‘nine-dash line’ after Vietnam’s request

The organization on Saturday edited its post on Aug. 23 about the ongoing heatwaves in China.

The edited post includes a map without the “nine-dash line” and only showing the mainland of China.

Vietnam on Thursday asked the World Meteorological Organization to respect its sovereignty in the East Sea by removing China’s infamous “nine-dash line.”

On Aug. 23, the WMO posted a map of heatwaves in China with the line, which has been used by China to illegally claim huge swathes of the South China Sea, known in Vietnam as the East Sea. The line has been internationally condemned and rejected.

Many Vietnamese Facebook users have left comments on the post, requesting the WMO to respect Vietnam and remove the map.

WMO has not responded to VnExpress‘s request for comments.

A China heatwave map published by the World Meteorological Organization:

The Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said at a press meet that “Vietnam has repeatedly dismissed the so-called nine-dash line as well as other maritime statements that go against international laws and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982).”

She said countries and organizations must “remove and edit unsuitable content” that violates Vietnam’s sovereignty.

She said representatives of Vietnam’s mission at the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other organizations at Geneva have discussed the matter with WMO.