China's resounding defeat in a legal battle with the Philippines over territorial claims in the South China Sea could embolden other states to file lawsuits if Beijing refuses to compromise on access to the resource-rich region. There are several avenues for litigation that countries could pursue rather than risk any action at sea that would worsen military tensions, legal and security experts said. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague concluded that China had violated the Philippines' economic and sovereign rights. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have unresolved, overlapping claims on parts of the South China Sea. A five-judge tribunal dismissed China's "Nine-dash line" - a 69-year-old claim to roughly 85 percent of the South China Sea - saying it was unlawful under the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNLCLOS). The ruling is binding for Beijing and Manila, but it also set a legal precedent by determining that UNCLOS rules take … [Read more...] about China’s legal setback could spur more South China Sea claims
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Tribunal overwhelmingly rejects Beijing’s South China Sea claims
An arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and has breached the Philippines' sovereign rights with its actions, infuriating Beijing which dismissed the case as a farce. A defiant China, which boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests. China's state-run Xinhua news agency said shortly before the ruling was announced that a Chinese civilian aircraft had successfully tested two new airports in the disputed Spratly Islands. And China's Defense Ministry said a new guided missile destroyer was formally commissioned at a naval base on the southern island province of Hainan, which has responsibility for the South China Sea. "This award represents a devastating legal blow to China's jurisdictional claims in the South China Sea," Ian Storey, of Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, … [Read more...] about Tribunal overwhelmingly rejects Beijing’s South China Sea claims
Hague tribunal rules China’s South China Sea claims unfounded
An arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and that it has breached the sovereign rights of the Philippines with its actions there, a long-awaited ruling sure to infuriate Beijing. China, which has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests. China's state-run Xinhua news agency said shortly before the ruling was announced that a Chinese civilian aircraft successfully carried out calibration tests on two new airports in the disputed Spratly Islands. And China's Defense Ministry announced that a new guided missile destroyer was formally commissioned at a naval base on the southern island province of Hainan, which has responsibility for the South China Sea. "This award represents a devastating legal blow to China's jurisdictional claims in the South China Sea," Ian Storey, of … [Read more...] about Hague tribunal rules China’s South China Sea claims unfounded
Indonesia asks China to clarify South China Sea claims
Indonesia has asked China to clarify its claims over the South China Sea but has yet to receive a response, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, a day after Indonesia's security chief said Jakarta could take Beijing to court over an island dispute. Beijing's claim to almost the entire resource-rich sea is shown on Chinese maps with a nine-dash line that stretches deep into the maritime heart of Southeast Asia. Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also claim parts of the waterway. Last year, the Indonesian armed forces chief accused China of including parts of the Indonesian-ruled Natuna islands within the nine-dash line. Indonesian President Joko Widodo's administration departed from its usual low-profile role in the dispute on Wednesday when security chief Luhut Panjaitan said Jakarta could take China to an international court if dialogue over the islands failed. "The position of Indonesia is clear at this stage that we do not recognize the nine-dash line because it … [Read more...] about Indonesia asks China to clarify South China Sea claims
Philippines vows stronger military to back South China Sea claim
Philippine President Benigno Aquino vowed on Monday to leave behind a stronger and a more capable armed forces to face maritime challenges in the South China Sea when he leaves office next year. Aquino, ineligible to run for re-election under the constitution, promised to spend about 83.90 billion pesos ($1.77 billion) in a five-year period until 2017 to strengthen the military as China asserts its claims to most of the waters. The spending plan was only approved this year, meaning the bulk of that money will be spent in coming months. "We're planning to acquire new frigates, strategic sealift vessels, long-range patrol and close air support aircraft and other equipment," Aquino said at the 80th anniversary of the armed forces. He did not mention the South China Sea dispute specifically, but the equipment has been earmarked by the military to defend Philippine territorial rights. "I have personally witnessed how the military grew stronger and more effective in preserving peace and … [Read more...] about Philippines vows stronger military to back South China Sea claim