India on Thursday contested China’s claims that the arbitral tribunal has no authority to resolve territorial disputes in the South China Sea (SCS), saying the authority of the court and its award is recognised in the provisions of United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea.
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A 2012 standoff at Scarborough Shoal between Chinese and the Philippine vessels prompted Manila to launch the arbitration case by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
The court rejected China’s claim over the so-called nine-dash line area, as it is not in accordance with global maritime law, as established by the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
China has refused to recognize Tuesday’s ruling and did not take part in its proceedings.
The Philippines had initially refrained from asking China to abide by the verdict – in line with Duterte’s directive to achieve a “soft landing” with Beijing on the issue.
A Malacañang official said that the government will explore other diplomatic channels to finally put to rest the country’s dispute with Beijing if former President Fidel V. Ramos turns down an offer for him to be the country’s special envoy to China. So what’s the other side?
The arbitration was unilaterally initiated in 2013 by the former Philippine government and its award was issued on Tuesday, sweepingly siding with Manila’s cunningly packaged claims.
Duterte explained that the Philippines can’t go to war against China.
China had said on Monday that the maritime dispute should not be included on the ASEM agenda, with assistant foreign minister Kong Xuanyou insisting the meeting was “not an appropriate venue” to discuss the issue. “In my opinion this can be the most peaceful means of settling this”, Calida said, including Duterte had set no timeframe for reaching results.
“…Meaning that the European Union will be careful not to make a fuss about the South China Sea controversies”.
It said China has caused permanent and irreparable harm to the coral reef ecosystem at the Spratly (Truong Sa) archipelago, and that it also has no historic title over waters of the South China Sea. To deal with rising tensions and to maintain peace and stability in the area, China suggests an ASEAN-China dialogue for future negotiations.
China has said that the South China Sea arbitration has been a political farce all along, staged under the cover of law and driven by a hidden agenda.
The South China Sea is a resource-rich strategic waterway through which more than $5 trillion worth of world trade is shipped each year.
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However, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has infuriated China with her comments asking the communist country to recognise the panel’s ruling.
