Philippines Rejects China’s South China Sea Arbitration Stance in Seoul

CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: China-Philippines tensions over the South China Sea

Tensions between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea have once again surfaced publicly. During the Seoul Defense Dialogue, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro was handed a note from China. In it, Beijing reiterated that the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling was illegal, invalid and not binding.

Teodoro strongly objected to China’s position from the forum itself. He said both countries are parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and that the 2016 arbitration ruling was delivered under international law. The Philippines has long considered the ruling final and binding. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs has also said the ruling is part of international law and cannot be described as illegal or invalid.

The issue escalated further when the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the Philippines of “posturing and lying” and urged it not to damage relations between the two countries or peace in the South China Sea.

A long-running dispute continues over China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea and the Philippines’ maritime rights. The latest development signals a further rise in diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

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