Palace to China: PHL already on the right track in resolving sea row

The Philippines on Wednesday maintained it is already pursuing the “proper” way to settle its territorial row with China, after a Chinese Foreign Ministry official urged Manila to “come back to the right track” to address the dispute through bilateral talks.

 

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told reporters that the Philippines consider arbitration as the right way to resolve conflicting claims over resource-rich parts of the South China Sea, which Manila calls the “West Philippine Sea.”

 

“The Philippines has presented its position before the UN's Permanent Commission on Arbitrations which we consider to be the proper forum for the resolution of disputes,” Coloma said in a text message.

 

He added that the Philippines prefers a “rules-based resolution of maritime entitlement issues” over bilateral talks.

 

"The Philippines affirms its adherence to international law,” the Palace official said.

 

Coloma issued his remark after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told the Philippines “to come back to the right track of resolving disputes through negotiation and consultation.”

 

Hua also said that Beijing ”will never accept the unilateral attempts to turn to a third party to solve the disputes.”

 

The Chinese official was apparently referring to the Philippines’ move to file an arbitration case against China before an arbitral tribunal in The Netherlands.

 

A few days ago, the Philippine side finished presenting arguments before the tribunal on why it should exercise jurisdiction over the arbitration case. China refuses to participate in arbitration proceedings.

 

Citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Philippines is challenging China’s massive claim over the South China Sea based on historic rights and the so-called “nine-dash line.” — RSJ, GMA News