The Philippines has rejected recent Chinese embassy statements challenging the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award. The Department of Foreign Affairs stressed that the ruling remains final and binding under international law.
The Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement clarifying that the award was issued by a tribunal formed under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Both the Philippines and China are parties to the convention.
The department added that the award forms part of international law and provides clarity on maritime entitlements in the South China Sea. Officials rejected claims that the award is illegal or that the arbitration process violated obligations for bilateral talks.
The tribunal had previously dismissed Chinese arguments that the case involved territorial sovereignty or maritime boundary delimitation. The ruling addresses the interpretation of the convention and the legal status of maritime features.