Duterte tells UN: Philippines firmly rejects attempts to undermine arbitral award on South China Sea

September 23, 2020

By Celerina Monte

President Rodrigo Duterte has brought up the arbitral award on the Philippines over its territorial dispute with China before the United Nations General Assembly, saying the Philippines strongly rejects attempts to undermine the ruling.

This as Duterte welcomed the increasing number of states that have expressed support on the July 2016 award by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, invalidating China's "historic" and "sovereign" claim in almost the entire South China Sea, including the areas within the 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zones of other countries like the Philippines.

"We must remain mindful of our obligations and commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and as amplified by the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes. The Philippines affirms that commitment in the South China Sea in accordance with UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 Arbitral Award," Duterte said in a taped message during the General Debate of the 75th Session of the General Assembly.

This was Duterte's first time to participate in the event since he assumed the presidency in 2016.

"The Award is now part of international law, beyond compromise and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish or abandon," the President said.

"We firmly reject attempts to undermine it," he said.

"We welcome the increasing number of states that have come in support of the award and what it stands for — the triumph of reason over rashness, of law over disorder, of amity over ambition. This – as it should - is the majesty of the law," Duterte added.

Recently, the United Kingdom, France and Germany issued a joint note verbale, which was submitted to the UN, rejecting China's historic claim in the South China Sea as it goes against the international law and the provisions of UNCLOS.

China has been refusing to recognize the arbitral ruling as it continued with its aggressive activities in the South China Sea.

Aside from the Philippines and China, other claimants in the South China Sea, which is believed to be rich in oil and other mineral resources, are Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. DMS