UN Tribunal ruling ‘null, void, nonbinding’—China
China will not give up the disputed South China Sea and will not follow any decision of the international Arbitral Tribunal, which it accused of violating China’s rights.
“The award rendered on 29 October 2015 by the Arbitral Tribunal established at the request of the Republic of the Philippines on jurisdiction and admissibility of the South China Sea arbitration is null and void, and has no binding effect on China,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Friday.
“With regard to the issues of territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China will not accept any solution imposed on it or any unilateral resort to a third-party dispute settlement,” it said.
BACKSTORY: Philippines scores against China in UN arbitration
China accused the Philippines of being “obstinate” in seeking arbitration before the United Nations and that it was “a political provocation under the cloak of law.”
“It is in essence not an effort to settle disputes but an attempt to negate China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea,” it said.
“China and the Philippines have chosen, long time ago, to settle their disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations and consultations. The breach of this consensus by the Philippines damages the basis of mutual trust between states,” the ministry added.
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China further accused the Tribunal and the Philippines of abusing the arbitration mechanism and procedures and violating China’s rights.
“The Philippines and the Arbitral Tribunal have abused relevant procedures and obstinately forced ahead with the arbitration, and as a result, have severely violated the legitimate rights that China enjoys as a State Party to the UNCLOS, completely deviated from the purposes and objectives of the UNCLOS, and eroded the integrity and authority of the UNCLOS,” the ministry said.
“As a State Party to the UNCLOS, China firmly opposes the acts of abusing the compulsory procedures for dispute settlement under the UNCLOS, and calls upon all parties concerned to work together to safeguard the integrity and authority of the UNCLOS,” it added.
China has repeatedly refused to participate in the proceedings insisting on bilateral talks while it undertakes massive land reclamation projects in several maritime features in the Spratlys turning them into artificial islands capable of hosting military equipment and structures.
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“The Philippines’ attempt to negate China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea through arbitral proceeding will lead to nothing,” it said.
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