The statement added that it was important to maintain peace and stability in the region, and called for all parties to exercise self-restraint in their activities in the South China Sea and avoid the use of force that could complicate the dispute and escalate tensions.
Advertisement
The Philippines brought the case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, objecting to China’s claims to maritime rights in the disputed waters.
In a thinly veiled rebuke of the ruling, she said yesterday that it “severely jeopardises” Taiwan’s sovereignty over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea and the surrounding waters.
Though the ruling is binding, the Permanent Court of Arbitration has no power to enforce its decision.
Foreign affairs secretary, Perfect Yasay said Philippine’s experts are “studying the Award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves”.
“All countries, large and small have benefited enormously from this system, which facilitates trade and enables disputes to be resolved in accordance with rules rather than by coercive means”, Mr Turnbull said.
If China still remains in UNCLOS, China faces a dilemma between respecting UNCLOS and protecting the legality of China’s sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, Pan said.
“Do not turn the South China Sea into a cradle of war”, vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin said, describing the ruling as waste paper. China’s Ministry of Defence stated earlier that the ruling would not affect China’s sovereignty and interests in the South China Sea. “The Philippines’ territorial claim over part of Nansha Qundao is groundless from the perspectives of either history or global law”, the paper issued by the State Council Information Office said.
The Chinese ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, said the ruling will “intensify conflicts and even confrontation”, while the state-run People’s Daily warned that China was prepared to take “all measures necessary” to protect its interests.
“The South China Sea ruling, especially the categorisation of Taiping island, has severely jeopardised our country’s rights in the South China Sea islands and their relevant waters”, Tsai told soldiers on the deck of ship.
While introducing a policy paper in response to the ruling, Liu said the islands in the South China Sea were China’s “inherent territory” and blamed the Philippines for stirring up trouble.
Labor’s defence spokesman Stephen Conroy has accused China of bullying other nations over the South China Sea.
The Philippines built military facilities on some islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands/Spratly islands) it has invaded and illegally occupied.
Advertisement
China’s rejection of UNCLOS, soon after citing rules to oppose India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group, exposes it to the charge of hypocrisy.
