Manila: Nine years ago, an Arbitral Tribunal constituted under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention unanimously ruled that China’s expansive South China Sea maritime claims have no basis in international law. This decision, which is legally binding on both the Philippines and China, marked a significant milestone and offered a framework for peacefully resolving disputes in the South China Sea.
According to EMM, despite the 2016 ruling, China has disregarded the decision, continuing to assert unlawful and expansive maritime claims while taking increasingly aggressive actions against its neighbors. These actions have directly infringed upon the sovereign rights and jurisdictions of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia, thereby undermining peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
Moreover, the United States has expressed its support for a free and open Indo-Pacific, emphasizing the need to preserve peace and stability, uphold freedom of navigation and overflight, and maintain the free flow of trade. The U.S. has called on China to comply with the 2016 arbitral ruling and to cease its destabilizing conduct in the region.