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This map emerged in the late 1940s shortly after World War II, amidst a civil war within China. The nationalist regime used American naval ships to make claims on the islands, quickly asserting their sovereignty while the civil war raged. When the communists solidified their power, they adopted the same 11-dash line, leading to the bizarre situation of two Chinas, both making overlapping claims to the same maritime territory.
Legal Framework and Continued Tensions
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sought to provide a legal framework for maritime claims, granting coastal nations specific rights to resources within 200 nautical miles of their shores. Yet, this legal structure conflicted with China's expansive claims established by the 11-dash line.