On Thursday, China released a comprehensive report reaffirming its firm objection to the South China Sea arbitration ruling, asserting that the ruling severely damages the international legal order and maritime governance.
The report aims to disclose the political background of the arbitration tribunal and highlight what it describes as historical errors within the ruling. It emphasizes the need for relevant parties to resolve disputes through negotiation and manage crises through rule-based approaches.
Compiled by the Huayang Center for Marine Cooperation and Ocean Governance, the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, and the Chinese Society of International Law, the report provides an in-depth analysis of the essence of the disputes. It scrutinizes the jurisdictional issues of the arbitration ruling, offers legal interpretations on historical rights and the status of islands and archipelagos, and investigates the representation of the arbitration tribunal. The intent is to expose what China considers errors of the ruling and its detrimental impact on the international legal order.
Highlighting that it has been eight years since the unilateral arbitration initiated by the Philippines, the report emphasizes that, rather than resolving territorial and maritime delimitation disputes in the South China Sea, the ruling has further complicated an already intricate situation. It criticizes the ruling for undermining the integrity, balance, and seriousness of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), shaking confidence in the convention’s dispute resolution mechanisms.
The report also condemns certain countries, both within and beyond the region, for endorsing what it views as an invalid arbitration ruling. It characterizes this support as a strategic misjudgment aimed at bolstering unilateral claims and an ill-intentioned effort to disrupt China’s relations with ASEAN countries.
Reaffirming China’s stance on the arbitration and its ruling, the report states that the Chinese government will continue to adhere to the policy of “non-participation” and “non-acceptance.” It declares that China will not recognize the “illegal ruling” made by the arbitration tribunal nor accept any claims or actions based on that ruling.
Reference(s):
China reaffirms its rejection of South China Sea arbitration ruling
cgtn.com
