The statement was the strongest response from the Philippines to Tuesday’s verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague declaring that China’s claims to the resource-rich and strategically vital South China Sea had no legal basis. China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea rivalsthose of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
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“China’s aim is to turn the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation”, Liu said but added that China also had “the right” to establish an air defense zone over the sea, which would give the Chinese military authority over foreign aircraft. He referred to the rumors of a zone as a foreign “invention”, however.
The whitepaper, released yesterday by China’s State Council Information Office, accused the Philippines of “having increasingly intensified its infringement of China’s maritime and interests”.
Ms Bishop told ABC radio on Wednesday that China’s reputation would suffer as a result of the court ruling, insisting relations with the global community were crucial to its rise as a superpower.
The announcement came right after the tribunal ruled on Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea.
Nguyen Xuan Phuc, for his part, says Vietnam respects China’s stance on the arbitration, and Vietnam maintains that the disputes should be solved peacefully through negotiations. “To ignore it would be a serious worldwide transgression”, she said.
Pro-Beijing protesters shout slogans against the United States supporting an worldwide court ruling of the South China Sea outside the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 14, 2016.
China today once again brushed aside the United Nations tribunal verdict on the disputed South China Sea saying that it should be “dumped into garbage”.
China is “strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to” the United States statement, adding that it “lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side”, a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said.
China claims much of the South China Sea, through which more than US$5 trillion of trade moves annually.
Commenting on the reaction of Duterte and his government, Liu said China stands ready to work with the new Philippine government, properly settle South China Sea disputes and bring bilateral ties back on the right track.
Mr. Duterte has said he wants to improve relations with China – which soured under previous President Benigno Aquino because of the application to the tribunal – and would seek Chinese investment in the Philippines.
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Al Jazeera looks at the implications of the ruling for China’s row with Japan in the East China Sea.
