China Rejects Hague Judgement on South China Sea

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BEIJING – In a statement, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late Wednesday that it rejected the Hagues decision saying that the tribunal has no jurisdiction, and has insisted that it will ignore its rulings.

A ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, said “China does not accept any means of third-party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China.”

“The Chinese government will continue to abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and will continue to work with states directly concerned to resolve the relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation and consultation on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law, so as to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.’’

The case has become a diplomatic tussle between China and the United States, an ally of the Philippines. China has mounted a global effort to round up countries to support its position that the tribunal represents outside interference in a dispute between the Philippines and China.

The Obama administration has encouraged China to abide by the tribunal’s ruling and has asked European and Asian countries to speak out in favor of it. The United States has not ratified the Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“Consistent with our longstanding policy, we support the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea, including the use of international legal mechanisms such as arbitration,” the State Department said on Wednesday.

The court made its announcement on the eve of the inauguration of the new Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte. His predecessor, Benigno S. Aquino III, took a hard line against China by initiating the arbitration after talks between the two countries failed. Mr. Duterte has adopted a friendlier attitude toward China.