WHILE the Philippines celebrated a victory awarded via the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in its dispute with China over controversial claims in the South China Sea, Beijing has firmly rejected the verdict.

China did not accept any third party trying to impose a settlement or any solution forced on it, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued yesterday after the ruling, technically described as an ‘award’, by the arbitral tribunal on the unilaterally-initiated case on the South China Sea.

China solemnly declared that the award was null and void and had no binding force. China neither accepted nor recognised it.

“China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards,” it said.

The Philippines filed 15 submissions to the PCA over the past three years asking the court to rule on whether China’s ‘nine-dash line’ claim of most of the sea, as well as its construction of artificial islands near the Spratlys, violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – Unclos.

China refused to take part in the case, saying it involved a determination of ownership in the South China Sea – tantamount to a ruling on sovereignty – which falls under the purview of the International Court of Justice.

The tribunal concluded there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources in areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line’.

The five-member tribunal also denied that any of the Spratly Islands grant China an exclusive economic zone.

“The Philippines welcomed the issuance of the award by the Arbitral Tribunal constituted by the PCA under Annex 7 of the 1982 Unclos, on the arbitration proceedings initiated by the Philippines,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay said yesterday after the court verdict.

“Our experts are studying the award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves,” he said. “In the meantime, we call on those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety,” Yasay said in response to the controversial case.

“The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea,” The Philippines Daily Inquirer quoted Yasay as saying.

“The Philippines reiterates its abiding commitment to efforts of pursuing the peaceful resolution and management of disputes with the view of promoting and enhancing peace and stability in the region,” he said.

China is at loggerheads with many members of Asean in addition to the Philippines over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, including Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.

The issue has been a worry for the regional grouping for a long time and non-claimants including Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand sent observers to monitor the proceedings.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said Thailand was looking at the case in the context ofAsean reaching a “cooperative and trustworthy” resolution. Thailand would not push for a consensus during the upcoming Asean ministerial meeting in Laos from July 21 to 26, Prayut said.

A few hours before the judgement was delivered yesterday, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry urged that the South China Sea conflict should be addressed jointly based on good relations and mutual benefit.

“The situation in the South China Sea should be addressed through concerted efforts and by every means, on the basis of mutual trust and confidence as well as equitable benefit, to reflect the nature of the long standing Asean-China relations,” the ministry said.

The statement said full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea should be emphasised.

“And the need for all parties concerned to work expeditiously for an early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea is of paramount importance to allow us to emerge stronger together,” it said.