China says it does not accept Philippines’ 2016 South China Sea arbitration win

BEIJING — China does not accept or recognize the Philippines’ South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal ruling from 2016, which concluded Beijing’s claim to almost the entire South China Sea was groundless, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The Philippines won a landmark arbitration case exactly seven years ago that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, where about $3 trillion worth of sea-borne goods pass every year.

The Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday it does not accept any claim or action based on the ruling.

“With its ruling, the tribunal violated the principle of state consent, went beyond its authority to hear the case and perverted law,” spokesperson Wang Wenbing told a regular news conference.

To celebrate the ruling on its anniversary, the Philippines on Wednesday launched a website containing “official information” about Manila’s arbitration victory against Beijing, according to a Nikkei Asia report. — Reuters