Palace thanks UK, France, Germany for rebuking China’s expansive claim in South China Sea

September 18, 2020

Malacanang thanked on Friday the United Kingdom, France and Germany for rebuking China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.

In a televised press briefing in Baguio City, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, however, said that the Philippines has nothing more to do as it already won its case before the international tribunal against China's historic and sovereign claim in almost the entire South China Sea though its nine-dash line theory.

"We thank these countries because our award in the arbitral tribunal that says China's claim in almost the South China Sea, which is now West Philippine Sea, has no legal basis," he said.

He said the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling in July 2016 was already a victory.

"The decision itself is the act of being assertive because if we did not pursue that decision, that case, there won't be any decision," he said.

But under the international law, Roque said it was unfortunate that there is no body that will enforce the decision.

"Our options are limited in the assumption that the countries in the world will voluntarily follow the international obligation," he said.

He said it is a "black propaganda" that the Philippines should do something with regard to the ruling, such as going to the United Nations General Assembly.

"That's (going to UNGA) possible, but let's be realistic. We cannot sway the 197-member UN if our opponent is China because we all know that our capability is limited. And in politics, money talks, that's true even in international relations," he said.

"We cannot also go the the Security Council because China has the veto power. So, those who are saying that we should be assertive, what should we do?" the spokesman added.

But he stressed that the UN Arbitral award would remain.

"And for as long as that decision is there, that's the proof that China has no legal basis to claim the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea," he explained.

UK, France and German, in a joint verbale submitted to the UN in New York, recently stressed that China's claims with regard to the exercise of "historic rights" over the South China Sea waters do not comply with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provisions as they recalled that the arbitral award in the Philippines v. China case on July 12, 2016 clearly confirms the point.

They reiterated that all maritime claims in the disputed waters should be made and peacefully resolved in accordance with the principles and rules of UNCLOS and the means and procedures for the settlement of disputes provided for in the Convention.

Despite the arbitral ruling, China, which is also a signatory to UNCLOS, has never recognized it as Beijing continues with its aggressive activities in the South China Sea, even those areas within the exclusive economic zones of other countries, including the Philippines. Celerina Monte/DMS