14 nations reaffirm 2016 arbitral ruling, reject China's expansive South China Sea claims
Fourteen nations, including the U.S., Australia, and Japan, have issued a joint statement reaffirming the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea. The coalition emphasized the importance of international law and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.
Why it matters
This diplomatic move reinforces international pressure on China regarding territorial disputes and maritime sovereignty in a strategically vital waterway.
Fourteen countries reaffirmed on Sunday, July 12, the binding nature of the landmark 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, declaring once again that there is no legal basis for China's sweeping maritime claims and calling for disputes in the strategic waterway to be resolved peacefully under international law.
In a joint statement marking the 10th anniversary of the Philippines-China South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Award, the governments of the Philippines, Australia, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Romania, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, and the United States renewed their commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
"We reaffirm that the Award rendered ten years ago by the Arbitral Tribunal is a significant milestone and is final, legally binding, and definitive between China and the Philippines with respect to the maritime entitlements and claims addressed by the Arbitral Tribunal," the statement read.
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