The Philippine government on Monday dismissed Beijing’s recent claims that the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling is invalid, maintaining that the decision is fully binding under global maritime law.
Delivered in July 2016 by a tribunal in The Hague, the landmark verdict invalidated China’s expansive historical claims over the strategic waterway, citing a lack of legal grounds under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Beijing, however, has persistently ignored the ruling.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Rogelio Villanueva countered a recent statement from the Chinese Embassy in Manila—which labeled the case a political farce—by reaffirming that the decision is now a permanent fixture in global jurisprudence.
Villanueva emphasized that Manila acted fully within its rights under UNCLOS to seek third-party arbitration after years of stalled bilateral talks with China failed to yield results.
He also rejected Beijing’s insistence that the maritime disputes should only be handled through direct, two-way negotiations.
“It is not and will never be illegal, null and void,” Villanueva said.
“As we commemorate the Award’s 10th anniversary this July, we highlight its resounding affirmation of UNCLOS and of the Convention’s dispute-settlement mechanisms,” Villanueva said.
“Respect for these rulings is essential to preserving the integrity, credibility, and universality of the Convention and the rules-based order it embodies,” he added.