The United States, the United Kingdom, and 12 other partner nations have reaffirmed that China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea have no legal basis under international law, marking the ninth anniversary of the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling.
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the 14 countries rejected what they described as “dangerous and destabilising” actions in the disputed waters, warning that such activities threaten regional peace, security, and the rules-based international order. The signatories reiterated that the July 12, 2016, ruling by an arbitral tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is final and legally binding.
Separately, the 27-member European Union issued its own statement, describing the tribunal’s decision as a landmark ruling in the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes and reaffirming its support for international law, including UNCLOS, as the foundation for maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific.
China, however, once again rejected the ruling, maintaining that the award is “null and void” and has no binding effect. Beijing reiterated that it neither accepts nor recognises the arbitration, having refused to participate in the proceedings initiated by the Philippines in 2013 following a prolonged maritime standoff over Scarborough Shoal.
The South China Sea remains one of the world’s most strategically significant and contested maritime regions. China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire waterway despite overlapping claims by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. The competing claims have led to repeated confrontations, particularly between Chinese and Philippine vessels, raising concerns over regional stability and freedom of navigation.
(Image source: Wikipedia)
