South China Sea Claims: Malaysia Denies China's 'Standard Map'!

<p>&nbsp;Malaysia opposes China's new 'standard map' for 2023 that shows its claim to sovereignty in the South China Sea.</p><p><br /></p><p>Tensions continue to rise in the strategic waters as Beijing becomes more assertive in its claims despite an international court in 2016 denying its rights.</p><p><br /></p><p>In fact, over the past few years, it has built military posts and deployed its coast guard and maritime forces in the waters.</p><p><br /></p><p>In its latest move, Beijing released a map on Monday of the famous U-shaped line covering about 90% of the South China Sea, and seen cutting through the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In response to the action, Malaysia immediately filed a diplomatic protest over the map.</p><p><br /></p><p>The map is described as a "unilateral maritime claim" by China and it overlaps with the country's claim over the states of Sabah and Sarawak.</p><p><br /></p><p>Also with Malaysia in voicing the protest are India, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam who rejected it as baseless.</p>