China called on the Philippines on Wednesday to withdraw a case it has filed at a UN arbitration tribunal over rival claims in the South China Sea and return to bilateral negotiations.
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China’s confident statements that World War III Is Inevitable, issued a statement over US meddling, said the US was trying to influence Manila’s arbitration case after a senior US official said China would be obligated to abide by the tribunal’s decision.
DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines-Foreign Assistant Secretary Charles Jose said the country’s territorial dispute with China on the West Philippine Sea should be an election issue as the country gears up for the 2016 presidential polls.
But this month its claims came under global legal scrutiny for the first time when the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague began hearing a suit the Philippines filed in 2013.
China’s naval stance also clashes with the air and sea movements of units of the US Pacific Fleet, which aims to protect sea lanes critical to US trade with Southeast Asia and the oil-rich Middle East.
On January 22, 2013, the Philippines unilaterally initiated compulsory arbitration proceedings with respect to the relevant issues between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
According to Lu, in 2006, the Chinese government made a declaration in pursuance of Article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, excluding disputes regarding such matters as those related to maritime delimitation and historic titles from the compulsory dispute settlement procedures including arbitration.
“The so-called nine dash line (based on an old map used by China) has no basis whatsoever under global law”, he said.
According to Lu, the Philippines’ initiation of the arbitration ignored what China feels are its legitimate rights under such worldwide laws as the UNCLOS, and breached commitments made by the Philippines not to unilaterally seek arbitration.
Lu said China’s stance is based on worldwide law and has been clearly stated in the position paper published by the Foreign Ministry in December last year in response to the arbitration.
Beijing has repeatedly announced it would not participate in the arbitration process and will not recognize any decision of the global tribunal.
Following a stand-off between Chinese ships and the Philippines navy three years ago, China has had control of the Scarborough Shoal, which the Philippines says falls under its exclusive economic zone.
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Presidential candidates should make known their stand on the dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea, Jose said in two separate forums in Dumaguete City on Thursday.
