REUTERS picChinese Premier Li Keqiang told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday that his country should stop interfering and hyping up the South China Sea issue, as the dispute took center stage at a key regional summit in Mongolia.
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The tribunal, which sided with the Philippines and invalidated China’s “nine-dash line”, concluded in its decision “as between the Philippines and China, China’s claims to historic rights, or other sovereign rights or jurisdiction, with respect to the maritime areas of the South China Sea encompassed by the relevant part of the “nine-dash line” are contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect”.
Answering a question about satellite images showing China built a missile launcher, runways and military installations on a South China Sea atoll, Mr Luton said: “I think it’s our own right to do anything within our own backyard”.
“Dialogue and a strong commitment to the rules-based global order are necessary”, said European Council President Donald Tusk at the opening ceremony.
While the European Union is neutral in China’s dispute with its Asian neighbors in the South China Sea, Britain, France and Germany want to make clear that Beijing must uphold worldwide law as it seeks a bigger global role.
Beijing has responded to the ruling by asserting that the islands in the South China Sea are “China’s inherent territory”.
The People’s Republic of China is not the hereditary overlord of the South China Sea.
The remarks by Solicitor General Jose Calida follow two days of carefully calibrated responses from the Philippines and are nearly certain to irritate China further. “There should be a concordant made with all nations on how to settle the operational problems in the use of the waters around these nations under Unclos”, he said. Japan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura said Abe “reiterated the fundamental positions regarding the South China Sea” in his meeting with Li.
But immediately after the court announced the ruling, China, as widely expected, angrily rejected the verdict, saying it is “null and void” and without “binding force”.
U.S. Navy Adm. John Richardson will make his first trip to China as chief of naval operations next week to ease tensions over South China Sea territorial disputes and also get a look at China’s aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, the Navy said Thursday.
ASEAN is short for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which is a political and economic organization whose members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Tensions have been high between the US and China when it comes to matters concerning the South China Sea.
“My message is the same as the foreign minister’s”, Payne said.
China has openly warned Australia to stay out of the South China Sea issue to ensure that bilateral relations are not damaged.
“If you understand how the other side lives, you’re more tolerant”, he said.
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President Rodrigo R. Duterte said on Thursday he will consult several people, including former President Fidel V. Ramos, to help the government discuss the issue with China and will even ask Ramos to go to China for this objective.
