China Loses Claims to the South China Sea in Landmark Decision

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a briefing that China welcomes Duterte’s willingness to start talks.

THE last two weeks have witnessed extraordinary events concerning the South China Sea.

She said a political solution to the dispute is required, urging all parties to refrain from raising tensions.

Sovereignty over the South China Sea is contested by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Tung also criticized the US for frequently carrying out military exercises in the South China Sea, sometimes in conjunction with the military of another claimant to the disputed region, which helps to consolidate suspicions of many Chinese people that the USA pivot to Asia is to contain China. He has said that the Philippines was destroying itself economically, since China was the only source of real development support.

The UN-backed tribunal ruled against China this week but Beijing rejected the decision, warning of a “decisive response” to provocative actions against its security interests based on the verdict.

“The EU does not take a position on sovereignty aspects relating to claims”.

The statement did not elaborate.

China had flagged ahead of the Ulaanbaatar get-together that it did not want the South China Sea to be discussed, saying it was not an appropriate venue. De Borja recalls that not only were the Chinese operating within what the Philippines claimed was its 200-mile EEZ, they were also harvesting endangered and prohibited species like giant clams.

The court decision invalidating China’s claims was a “crowning glory” that renews faith in worldwide law, the Philippines’ top lawyer said on Friday, in Manila’s strongest comment yet on its sweeping win.

On July 12, 2016, the PCA ruled unanimously in favour of the Philippines, invalidating China’s claim by classifying maritime features it occupies as rocks, low tide elevations, or submerged banks, but not islands.

“It confirms that no one state can claim virtually an entire sea”.

“We value the award given by the (tribunal), and the Philippines will not concede any of the awards given to us, ” Calida said, using the legal term for the ruling.

“The award opens a horizon of possibilities for all stakeholders”.

He said the goal of upholding global law is always a “broad based and collective order”. “This is like the territorial disputes between China and India”, he said, speaking at a Tsinghua University forum in Beijing.

“War is not an option”, he said.

“So what’s the other side?”

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

He said the best way to demonstrate this is for the U.S.to persuade the Philippine government to positively engage with the Chinese government on resolving the territorial dispute.

One day later, he told Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen that China will work with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to protect regional peace and stability as well as the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.