South Chaina Sea: Philippines says no concession to China in sea row

The tribunal has no enforcement arm but Calida said its ruling could be used to foster adherence to the rule of law.

In recent history China has been gradually expanding in the South China Sea in terms of military operations and fishing activities.

The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in its order invalidated China’s expansive sea claims surrounding disputed areas of the South China Sea.

EU Council President Donald Tusk handed the Chinese a brusque reminder of the need for a “rules-based global order” at the ASEM summit in Ulaanbaatar on Friday (15 July) – the first major worldwide conference since the row over the South China sea saw a legal ruling.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed with his Vietnamese counterpart that an arbitration court’s decision this week on the South China Sea must be observed, Japan’s Kyodo news agency said on Friday. “We urge the U.S. to think over its words and deeds, stop advertising the illegal arbitration and meddling with the South China Sea issue, and cease undermining China’s sovereignty and security interests and escalating regional tensions”, he stressed.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei counter China’s claims in the resource-rich waterway as it falls in their own Exclusive Economic Zones.

Washington says the court ruling is “final and legally binding”.

“The sovereignty issue is China’s bottom line”, China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi said.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ended his unusual silence at a private function late on Thursday and said he wanted dialogue with China and was considering sending former President Fidel Ramos to Beijing to get the ball rolling.

Duterte, however, has been more reconciliatory to Beijing and has not celebrated the huge victory. France’s Ayrault said that he sought to reassure Asian countries over the EU’s future, telling them: “We want to preserve a strong Europe”.

The United States, a key Philippines’ ally, is urging Asian nations not to move aggressively to capitalize on the court ruling, according to USA administration officials.

Richardson, a career submariner, during the July 17-20 trip will also head to China’s submarine academy in Qingdao, homeport of China’s North Sea Fleet, and meet for the first time with Adm. Wu Shengli, commander of naval forces in the People’s Liberation Army.