A coalition led by the United States and the Philippines has renewed its commitment to defending international law in the South China Sea, issuing a joint declaration marking the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 Hague arbitral ruling that rejected China’s sweeping maritime claims.

The statement, released Saturday, July 11, was endorsed by the United States, the Philippines, Australia, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Romania, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom.

Together, the governments reaffirmed their support for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” governed by international law and called on Beijing to comply with the legally binding arbitration decision.

The declaration commemorates the July 12, 2016, ruling issued under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in which an international arbitral tribunal unanimously concluded there was “no legal basis” for China’s expansive claims based on so-called “historic rights” within the South China Sea.

China rejected the ruling when it was issued and has continued to maintain its claims despite the tribunal’s decision.

The coalition emphasized that the award remains “final, legally binding, and definitive” between China and the Philippines regarding the maritime claims addressed by the tribunal.

It also reaffirmed that disputes must be resolved peacefully under international law rather than through coercion or force.

More here

Tagged: World News BACK TO HOMEPAGE