According to the WeChat official account of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines responded to questions regarding the incorrect statements made by the US ambassador to the Philippines and others regarding the maritime issues.
Q: On July 11th, the US ambassador to the Philippines, Romeyke, spoke at a forum held by the Stratbase think tank, where he made irresponsible claims about the “South China Sea arbitration ruling” in 2016 being final and binding, criticized China’s claims in the South China Sea for lacking evidence, and accused China of taking expansionary and coercive actions that threatened freedom of navigation and overflight as well as the legitimate use of the ocean. The UK ambassador to the Philippines, Bophiels, along with the Canadian ambassador, Hartmann, and the German ambassador, Pfaffernoach, also made similar remarks at the forum. Individual countries’ embassies in the Philippines also issued statements on this matter. How does the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines comment on this?
A: China’s position on the South China Sea arbitration case is consistent, clear, and unwavering. The South China Sea arbitration case is essentially a political circus wrapped in legal robes. The Philippines violated its consensus with China to resolve disputes in the South China Sea through bilateral consultation and negotiation, and breached the provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea regarding the peaceful resolution of disputes through consultation and negotiation by directly related parties. It滥用《联合国海洋法公约》争端解决机制, disregarded China’s exclusionary declaration, and unilaterally initiated the South China Sea arbitration case against China in an interim arbitration court. The so-called interim arbitration court overstepped its jurisdiction and made biased judgments. The ruling is illegal and invalid. China does not accept or participate in arbitration, does not accept or recognize the so-called ruling, and certainly does not accept any claims or actions based on it. China’s sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea are formed in long-term historical practice and have sufficient historical and legal basis. They will not be affected by illegal arbitration rulings under any circumstances.
The US ambassador to the Philippines and a few other embassies in the Philippines disregard facts, turn black and white upside down, and stir up controversy and create false narratives on the anniversary of the illegal ruling each year, attempting to force China to accept it. Such behavior is doomed to be futile, and China firmly opposes it. As everyone knows, both the establishment of the “arbitration court” and subsequent speculation are planned and manipulated by certain countries beyond the region, with the aim of disturbing the South China Sea for their own benefit. More and more countries in the world have seen through this circus, and China’s position is precisely to safeguard the spirit of international law and maintain the seriousness of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. With the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea is stable, and freedom of navigation and overflight is effectively guaranteed. China is accelerating negotiations with ASEAN countries to reach a “Code of Conduct in the South China Sea” as soon as possible, building a peaceful, cooperative, and friendly new narrative for the South China Sea. Any attempts to stir up trouble or sow discord will be doomed to fail.