PH, other countries reaffirm arbitral ruling invalidating China's claims in South China Sea

The Philippines and 13 other countries on Sunday reiterated that there is no legal basis for China's claims in the South China Sea, on the 10th anniversary of the ruling issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

"We reaffirm the Arbitral Tribunal’s decision that there is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, including those based on 'historic rights,'" read the joint statement issued by the governments of the Republic of the Philippines, Australia, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Romania, Slovenia, United Kingdom, and the United States of America, as shared by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The nations also reaffirmed their position that maritime disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, stable, and rules-based, anchored in international law, and commemorate the 10th anniversary of the July 12, 2016, Arbitral Tribunal’s landmark and unanimous decision on the South China Sea constituted under Annex VII of UNCLOS,"

"We reaffirm that maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with UNCLOS. We reaffirm that the Award rendered ten years ago by the Arbitral Tribunal is a significant milestone and is final, legally binding, and definitive between China and the Philippines with respect to the maritime entitlements and claims addressed by the Arbitral Tribunal," it added.

"We underscore the importance of upholding freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as other internationally lawful uses of the sea, as reflected in UNCLOS," the statement added.

"WE REAFFIRM THE ARBITRAL TRIBUNAL'S DECISION THAT THERE IS NO LEGAL BASIS FOR CHINA'S EXPANSIVE MARITIME CLAIMS"

READ: Joint statement on the 10th anniversary of the Philippines-China South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal award.

Courtesy: DFA/Facebook

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"We reiterate our strong opposition to any destabilizing or unilateral actions including by force or coercion that threaten peace and stability in the region. We reaffirm our strong opposition to the use of coast guard, military, and maritime militia forces to harass, obstruct, or intimidate lawful operations by other States at sea or in the air, and in so doing endanger the safety of personnel and fishermen and seriously degrade regional peace and security. We urge the parties to abide by the 2016 Award and resolve disputes peacefully through dialogue and other lawful mechanisms in accordance with international law," it read.

"We remain steadfast in our support for a free and open Indo-Pacific and reiterate our commitment to promoting our shared vision with ASEAN of the South China Sea as a sea of peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperity driven by vibrant lawful commerce," the statement ended.

The 501-page ruling was handed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, more than three years after the case was filed by the Philippines in January 2013.

"The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line’," the Permanent Court of Arbitration said in a news release.

"[Although] two Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources," it added.

China however has refused to recognize the ruling. —KG, GMA News