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China rejects South China Sea arbitration ruling, urges faster code of conduct talks with ASEAN

By The South Asia Times

BEIJING - China on Friday reaffirmed its rejection of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling, describing it as "illegal, invalid and without binding force," while calling for faster negotiations with Southeast Asian nations on a regional code of conduct for the disputed waters.

Speaking at a regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing "neither accepts nor recognizes" the arbitration award and would not accept any claims or actions based on the ruling, according to Global Times.

"China has stated repeatedly that the so-called award on the South China Sea arbitration is illegal, invalid, and has no binding force," Mao said. "China neither accepts nor recognizes it, nor will it accept any claims or actions predicated on the so-called award."

Her remarks came in response to a question about the arbitration case, which was brought by the Philippines and decided in 2016 by an international tribunal in The Hague under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The tribunal ruled overwhelmingly in favor of the Philippines, invalidating many of China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea. Beijing has consistently rejected the ruling.

Mao said negotiations on a Code of Conduct (COC) between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remain a priority and are an important step toward implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

She said China is committed to working with ASEAN member states to accelerate consultations and conclude the code at an early date to help maintain peace and stability in one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes.

Mao also argued that the arbitration ruling is unrelated to the ongoing Code of Conduct negotiations and urged the Philippines not to use the tribunal's decision to complicate or delay the talks.

The South China Sea remains one of Asia's most sensitive geopolitical flashpoints, with overlapping territorial and maritime claims involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The United States and several other countries have repeatedly called for respect for international law and freedom of navigation in the strategic waterway.

China rejects South China Sea arbitration ruling, urges faster code of conduct talks with ASEAN

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