Okinotori is a coral-reef feature whose above-water portion at high tide is tiny. Japan treats it as an island and claims an EEZ of some 400,000 square kilometers, while China and others counter that under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea it is merely a 'rock' that cannot generate an EEZ.

The crux is whether the feature is an 'island capable of sustaining human habitation or independent economic life'—a judgment that decides the presence or absence of vast maritime rights.

Japan has reinforced the feature with concrete structures and continued observation to strengthen effective control, while China conducts survey and navigation activity in the waters and rejects Japan's claim.

This is a matter of international law that cannot be settled by either China's or Japan's claim alone, and Sinophone Bridge Times presents both positions.

Maritime jurisdiction is tied to fisheries, resources and navigation, entangling regional states' interests sharply; the principle that rules-based peaceful management matters remains unchanged.