Beijing refuses to accept Hague ruling over South China Sea territorial claims

[webfact]

Beijing refuses to accept Hague ruling over South China Sea territorial claims



THE HAGUE: -- An international court has ruled against Beijing over its territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea. China, however, has said it will not accept the decision.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration supported the case brought by the Philippines, saying there was no evidence China had exercised exclusive control over the waters or resources in the past.

“There was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line’,” the court said. The line referred to is a demarcation line on a 1947 map of the sea.
It is rich in energy, minerals and fishing resources.



Judges ruled the plaintiff’s sovereign rights had been breached. The 497-page ruling found that Chinese law enforcement patrols had risked colliding with Philippine fishing boats in parts of the sea. It also said China’s construction work had caused irreparable damage to coral reefs.

Reaction from China
China, which said it wouldn’t accept any ruling from the Hague court, has labelled the outcome “ill-founded.”

President Xi Jinping said China was dedicated to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, but refused to “accept any positions or actions based on the outcome of the arbitration case over the dispute.”

Foreign Minister Wang Yi labelled the case “a farce,” state news agency Xinhua reports. Wang warned the court case has put the dispute into “dangerous territory of worsening tensions and confrontation.”

Taiwan also rejected the ruling.

Reaction from the Philippines
Perfecto Yasay, the Philippines’ Foreign Minister, has called for “restraint and sobriety” in the region.

“Our experts are studying this award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves,” Yasay said at a news conference following the ruling.

“We call on those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety. The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision.”

Reaction from the United Nations
A spokesman for the United Nations called for disputes in the expanse to be resolved in a “peaceful and amicable manner, through dialogue and in conformity with international law.”

The organisation said it is “important to avoid actions that would provoke or exacerbate” tensions in the expanse of sea.

Reaction from the United States
The United States also warned against provocative statements or actions that might escalate the situation.

It labelled the ruling from The Hague final and binding.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-07-13

[shirtless]

Did anyone really expect China to accept this decision, they will keep taking until they are stopped by force.

[MJP]

Where is all this going?

[tonbridgebrit]

Go on, China, do it, go and tell whatever international court that their ruling has no legitimacy in any shape or form !

What is this ? China is one of the BIG FIVE in the United Nations. Yes, USA, Britain, Russia, France, and China. These are the five countries who won World War Two, these five are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Who on earth are the Hague to make this ruling ? If any court reckons that it has got some power or influence, well, it should do something in the UN, and once it has made a ruling, well, let the BIG FIVE decide what will happen.



And notice that Taiwan (Republic of China) has rejected this nonsense ruling. Republic of China already has Taiping Island, here's the wikipedia link, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiping_Island

China also claims the South China Sea. Taiping Island, the South China Sea, it's all about the NINE-DASH LINE. This is the foundation of the claim.

[jaidam]

No comment on the actualities of SCS ownership, but crikey the lads over in Beijing know how to play the game with the eurocrats. Yes, just tell them to bugger off and mind their own business. Toothless tigers. Something we should have done long ago over fisheries and non regulation straightness of bananas.

[Thechook]

I believe China has also claimed Australia is part of thier territory.

[stevenl]

Maybe this can bring China and Taiwan closer together.

[bra]

I believe China has also claimed Australia is part of thier territory.

They don't have to claim it - they are buying it bit by bit. At least the National Party are trying to stop this stupidity regarding agricultural land. As for Australian real estate agents they don't care so long as they get their commissions. I recently picked up a listing from a Queensland Real Estate agency of properties for sale in the Gold Coast region. It was all in Chinese.

[daveAustin]

Hague ruling is largely symbolic; how would they back it up, with an EU army? No lover of the Chinese but whatever the EU says/demands is just funny. Want to punish China; boycott Chinese-made goods because, aside from 'security' and fish, this SCSea farce is mostly about resources to churn out more crap.

[boomerangutang]

Where is all this going?

military shows of force, and then actual military action. Guess who's going to lose, and lope back to China with its tail between its legs.

No comment on the actualities of SCS ownership, but crikey the lads over in Beijing know how to play the game with the eurocrats. Yes, just tell them to bugger off and mind their own business. Toothless tigers. Something we should have done long ago over fisheries and non regulation straightness of bananas.

Am not sure if I understand your post. You say, "Beijing know how to play the game with the eurocrats" ? Who's a toothless tiger; European jurists?

If 'knowing how to play the game' is; not showing up for the game, and then getting angry & vindictive when the other team wins by forfeit, then........

[daveAustin]

I believe China has also claimed Australia is part of thier territory.

They don't have to claim it - they are buying it bit by bit. At least the National Party are trying to stop this stupidity regarding agricultural land. As for Australian real estate agents they don't care so long as they get their commissions. I recently picked up a listing from a Queensland Real Estate agency of properties for sale in the Gold Coast region. It was all in Chinese.

Off topic but didn't the Japanese own swathes of Queensland in the 80s and 90s? China also has vast property holdings in London. One of the potentials of Brexit is a possible eventual devaluation of property - how sweet to see all those rich London speculators lose big and the market open up to the born and bred folk.

[williamgeorgeallen]

I believe China has also claimed Australia is part of thier territory.

australi has been bought out fair and square, at least the more productive parts of it like the mines. plenty of iron ore to build up chinas military machine. not that they really need it as they can just buy up anything they want.

[chicowoodduck]

I believe that China has now claimed Thailand and are working on the rest of SE Asia for future expansion??

[boomerangutang]

an excerpt from today's article in Nation Newspaper:

"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."

So, does that mean China will respect a ruling from the ICJ? No, it won't, but it will waste more time which is advantageous to Chinese, to give them more time to terra-form reefs and rocks to further cement (literally) their illegal occupations.

[dominique355]

Just one look at the map China claims to show its territory is enough to show the absurdity of China's claim.

What happened to common sense?

[oxo1947]

As China steps up its military presence in South China Sea region, France has announced its intention to surrender by Friday.............

[klauskunkel]

Foreign Minister Wang Yi labeled the case “a farce”

I wonder if Foreign Minister Wang could properly pronounce "farce", so there won't be a misunderstanding by the international community (fart, face, floss, furnace)

[BwindiBoy]

I believe that China has now claimed Thailand and are working on the rest of SE Asia for future expansion??

Thailand can be very easily bought. ;-)

[BwindiBoy]

And people worry about North Korea............

[gchurch259]

Sounds like another Culture, they have been doing the same for over 1,400 years, guess who !

Did anyone really expect China to accept this decision, they will keep taking until they are stopped by force.

[MobileContent]

The United States to doesn't give a dime about the Courts in the Hague.

[NongKhaiKid]

Nice little dilemma for LoS as this involves fellow members of ASEAN against new best friend and source of loans China.

I suppose the fence will be nice and comfortable.

[ddavidovsky]

Just one look at the map China claims to show its territory is enough to show the absurdity of China's claim.

What happened to common sense?

Human nature.

[boomerangutang]

There are thousands of seamounts in the Pacific. One large one (many sq. miles) is 400 Km west of Canada. It wouldn't be difficult to build platforms safe from high tide/storm threats. China is good at building large things. They use 1/3 of the cement in the world. That's an issue our kids and grandkids may have to grapple with.

[Thechook]

I believe that China has now claimed Thailand and are working on the rest of SE Asia for future expansion??

Not building that railway without a plan.

[MZurf]

No comment on the actualities of SCS ownership, but crikey the lads over in Beijing know how to play the game with the eurocrats. Yes, just tell them to bugger off and mind their own business. Toothless tigers. Something we should have done long ago over fisheries and non regulation straightness of bananas.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration has nothing to do with the EU.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_Court_of_Arbitration

Now, go wipe the egg off your face...

[oxo1947]

I can not seem to get a Google answer about just how far from the Philippines is this reef.

.

But a genuine question if anyone knows....if there is a reef (& after being in the merchant navy for a while can tell you there are 1,000s) that is not in anyone's waters--or near any country, --1,000s of Klms away even, can a country do what China has done---enlarge it, build air strips etc ? is it the same if you find oil in the middle of an ocean , no where near anyone.......can you just drill for it..?

I am not talking about this current situation.....................

[Donutz]

No comment on the actualities of SCS ownership, but crikey the lads over in Beijing know how to play the game with the eurocrats. Yes, just tell them to bugger off and mind their own business. Toothless tigers. Something we should have done long ago over fisheries and non regulation straightness of bananas.

Uhm, the ICJ has nothing to do with the EU... But some countries like the US and China don't seem to give a damn about the ICJ (and international justice?).

I hope PH and the other nations will step to the UN so the world can sent some ships to there if need be (small problem: certain permanent members...).

Edited July 13, 2016 by Donutz

[Donutz]

I can not seem to get a Google answer about just how far from the Philippines is this reef.

.

But a genuine question if anyone knows....if there is a reef (& after being in the merchant navy for a while can tell you there are 1,000s) that is not in anyone's waters--or near any country, --1,000s of Klms away even, can a country do what China has done---enlarge it, build air strips etc ? is it the same if you find oil in the middle of an ocean , no where near anyone.......can you just drill for it..?

I am not talking about this current situation.....................

The court confirmed that anything within the 'nine-dash line’ is considered national waters. China also signed up to the directive that this rule is part of but choses to ignore this because it doesn't fit their views/interests in this case...

As far as international waters goes (the very centre of the South China sea would be this)... I'm guessing here but I'd say any country could employ any activities there and ttry to claim it, but any other nation would have just as much or as less right to do the same (at the same spot). It would only become national waters if internationally acknowledged. So I suppose China could try to claim the centre of the sea but to piss China off any one else could do the same.

This map is more clear then the one in the OP:

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/philippines-v-china-in-the-south-china-sea-all-you-need-to-know-ahead-of-the-hague-ruling

Coloured lines = national claims of various nations.

Dotted line = nine dash line (international agreed upon including China)

Edited July 13, 2016 by Donutz

[ilostmypassword]

Hague ruling is largely symbolic; how would they back it up, with an EU army? No lover of the Chinese but whatever the EU says/demands is just funny. Want to punish China; boycott Chinese-made goods because, aside from 'security' and fish, this SCSea farce is mostly about resources to churn out more crap.

So the Permanent Court of Settlements is part of the EU? You might want to check that out. I don't know why but I'd bet you're a Brexiteer.