South China Sea ruling undermines maritime peace, says Beijing’s top diplomat

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Calling it an example of “political manipulation,” China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday said the 2016 ruling on South China Sea has “undermined” peace and cooperation in the region.

“The South China Sea arbitration is an example of political manipulation of the international rule of law of the sea,” Wang told the Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance in Beijing.

In 2016, China was dealt a blow when the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), an international tribunal based in The Hague, ruled that Beijing’s nine-dash line claim has no legal basis under international law.

“Since then,” Wang said in apparent reference to the PCA ruling, “it has undermined the atmosphere for maritime peace and cooperation in the region, eroded the basic values of fairness and justice, and should be a cause for alarm and be rejected by the international community.”

In recent days, Beijing and Manila have seen new tensions in the disputed yet mineral-rich waters.

The two sides accuse each other of trespassing their maritime boundaries.

Manila has also accused Chinese vessels of allegedly damaging marine life in some parts of the disputed sea.

Beijing’s priority is ecological conservation to “preserve clean and beautiful oceans,” Wang said, adding conservation of marine ecology was of “great importance” to China.

“Sustainable development of humanity to a great extent depends on the health of the ocean,” he said, quoting Chinese President Xi Jinping, who had said: “We should cherish the ocean as we treat our lives.”

To end tensions in the disputed waters, Wang called for “mutually beneficial cooperation for maritime prosperity,” a transcript of his speech read.

“Disputes over maritime territory and rights and interests that are left from history should be resolved through friendly consultation between parties directly concerned. Bloc confrontation and zero-sum game at sea must be firmly rejected,” he said.

The disputed waters have also been point of contention between China and the US, as Washington sails its warships, citing freedom of navigation. Manila is one of the oldest allies of the US in the region.

The Chinese foreign minister said Beijing will continue to work with the Southeast Asian countries to “fully and effectively implement” the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) – a non-binding agreement signed in 2002 that outlines principles for the peaceful resolution of disputes in the region.

Several regional nations sharing maritime waters of the South China Sea have disputed with Beijing.