China has no legal basis to claim historic rights in South China Sea, UN tribunal finds
9 replies, posted
[QUOTE]Judges at an arbitration tribunal in The Hague have rejected China's claims to economic rights across large swathes of the South China Sea, in a ruling that will be claimed as a victory by the Philippines.
The permanent Court for Arbitration said China's claims to historic rights were contrary to UN convention.
"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, referring to a demarcation line on a 1947 map of the sea, which is rich in energy, mineral and fishing resources.
In the 497-page ruling, judges also found that Chinese law enforcement patrols had risked colliding with Philippine fishing vessels in parts of the sea and caused irreparable damage to coral reefs with construction work.
China has no entitlement to an economic zone within 320 kilometres of Mischief Reef or Thomas Shoal, the tribunal ruled.
In response to the ruling, The Philippines' Foreign Affairs Secretary called on those concerned to exercise "restraint and sobriety".
"Our experts are studying this award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves," Perfecto Yasay said.
"We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety. The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision."
Before the decision, China had said it would have nothing to do with the court.
"We won't accept any of their so-called materials, no matter what they are," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency said the "law-abusing tribunal" had issued an "ill-founded award".
In a dispatch from Manila, Xinhua said the ruling was made "amid a global chorus that as the panel has no jurisdiction, its decision is naturally null and void".[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-12/china-no-legal-basis-south-china-sea-tribunal-finds/7622738[/url]
"But it's got our name on it"
Can't wait for them to completely ignore it and keep waving their dicks in the South China Sea!
[QUOTE]With regard to the award rendered on 12 July 2016 by the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the unilateral request of the Republic of the Philippines (hereinafter referred to as the "Arbitral Tribunal"), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-07/12/c_135507744.htm[/url]
[QUOTE=Headhumpy;50695638]Can't wait for them to completely ignore it and keep waving their dicks in the South China Sea![/QUOTE]
And for everyone else to continue their campaign of appeasement.
Didn't the same tribunal also find that China's land reclamation completely and utterly fucked the coral and reef ecosystems surround the Spratly Islands?
So China will get an angry letter in the mail saying "stop" and they'll chuck in the garbage with all the other spam. That's all this will lead up to.
And historic claims don't matter much if you flood the area with your people and military. The "present" claims should outweigh "historic claims" any day, anyway.
[editline]12th July 2016[/editline]
Not to imply I approve of China's expansion, I don't
China just butthurt coz we ruined their empire by tricking them into getting addicted to opium.
We're the best.
[QUOTE=mdeceiver79;50696217]China just butthurt coz we ruined their empire by tricking them into getting addicted to opium.
We're the best.[/QUOTE]
Thats not just an oversimplification, its also wrong
there was no trickery, opium was never legal throughout the opium wars.
It was just china being militarily not up to par with Britain, and thus Britain being able to enforce their wishes on china.
China had plenty of oppertunity to choose the diplomatic approach but chose war themselves. against a vastly superior adversary.
[QUOTE=Blizzerd;50696233]Thats not just an oversimplification, its also wrong
there was no trickery, opium was never legal throughout the opium wars.
It was just china being militarily not up to par with Britain, and thus Britain being able to enforce their wishes on china.
China had plenty of oppertunity to choose the diplomatic approach but chose war themselves. against a vastly superior adversary.[/QUOTE]
and now that the tables have turned both militarily and economically, it seems it may end up with more sabre rattling from the PRC. I would not be surprised if the US considers moving back to Subic Bay and reactivates a fleet to make it 3 in the pacific region.
There's no doubt the G20 meeting in 8 weeks will not go well in China. More than 10 of the members will be demanding them to pull out, but definitely far less than actually deploying fleets to scare them. I also wonder what ASEAN will be doing, seeing as a large portion of their constituents are affected.
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