Beijing said that by unilaterally initiating arbitration proceedings on the South China Sea dispute, the Philippine government had breached the agreement between the two states, violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and went against the general practice of worldwide arbitration.
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The United States urged all parties to avoid provocative statements or actions after an arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea.
China had violated those rights by interfering in fishing and oil exploration, constructing artificial islands and failing to stop Chinese fisherman from fishing the zone, the ruling said.
China claims most of the sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, based on a vaguely defined “nine-dash-line” found on a 1940s Chinese map.
In the meantime, Japan also launched joint military exercises with the Philippines and conducted arms sales with the latter, which is meant to put pressure on China. First, the subject-matter of the arbitration initiated by the Philippines is in essence an issue of territorial sovereignty over some islands and reefs of Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands), and inevitably concerns and can not be separated from maritime delimitation between China and the Philippines.
It regularly stages its own exercises in the area as a show of force.A five-member UN-backed tribunal of maritime affairs experts in The Hague ruled that China has no historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the so-called “nine-dash-line”. “The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision”.
He said: “The Philippines reiterates its abiding commitment to efforts of pursuing the peaceful resolution and management of disputes with the view of promoting and enhancing peace and stability in the region”.
China’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement repeating its position that “the award is null and void and has no binding force”.
Taiwan said Tuesday it does not accept a tribunal’s ruling on the South China Sea, saying the decision on Itu Aba (also known as Taiping Island), Taipei’s sole holding in the disputed Spratly Islands, had “seriously impaired” its territorial rights.
China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards, it added in the statement.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter used to say in public that China’s activity in the South China Sea could lead to a “great wall of self-isolation”.
And the arbitration court has no right of jurisdiction.
“The arbitral tribunal announced the result of the South China Sea dispute arbitration on July 12th”.
Spreading fast on social media in the Philippines was the use of the term “Chexit” – the public’s desire for Chinese vessels to leave disputed waters. They called their campaign to push China out of the South China Sea, “CHexit” or “China exit now”.
China claims virtually all of the South China Sea, including the Paracels and the Spratlys, two chains of small islands and reefs. China has intensified the drumbeat of its opposition.
1994: The 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, under which the Philippines has taken China to arbitration, goes into effect after 60 countries ratify it.
Chinese fisherman had also killed endangered sea turtles and giant clams “on a substantial scale” – with the full knowledge of China, the tribunal said. The Philippines, which sought the arbitration ruling, welcomed the decision, and China rejected it outright. “US, Japan and other major powers should now focus on enforcing this binding verdict if China fails to comply”.
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In a statement issued ahead of an worldwide tribunal ruling on a dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, Thailand’s foreign ministry said it is important to restore trust and confidence among countries in the region. The Philippines lodges a protest through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
