I never fully understood what China’s nine-dashed line was until now. Nor was I really aware that Taiwan (the ROC) stuck to an eleven-dashed line.
In this image, there are 9 dashes. The ROC’s eleven-dashed line includes two additional dashes in the Gulf of Tonkin where China and Vietnam meet up.
[!info] According to AI
Difference Between Eleven-Dash and Nine-Dash Lines
The eleven-dash line and the nine-dash line are both used to demarcate China’s claims in the South China Sea, but they differ in the number of dashes and the geographical areas they cover.
- Eleven-Dash Line: This line was first introduced by the Republic of China (ROC) in 1947. It includes two additional dashes in the Gulf of Tonkin, which borders Vietnam and China. The ROC, now based in Taiwan, still uses this eleven-dash line to assert its claims over the South China Sea. SOURCES: Wikipedia, MOFA Japan
- Nine-Dash Line: In 1952, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) reduced the eleven-dash line to nine dashes by removing the two dashes in the Gulf of Tonkin. This change was made during a period of improved relations between China and North Vietnam, leading to the transfer of territorial claims over the Bach Long Vi Island to Vietnam. SOURCES: Wikipedia, MOFA Japan, The Geostrata
The exact location of these dashes seems pretty arbitrary to me, but what is important is that they are supposed to be flushed up against the coasts of the countries around the South China Sea / West Philippine Sea / etc