China faces fresh setback as joint statement rejects its South China Sea claims

To mark the 10th anniversary of a groundbreaking international judicial decision, the United States and 11 other countries announced in a joint declaration that China’s excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea have no legal justification.

The Philippines won the 2016 case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration which found that China’s expansive declaration in the South China Sea had no basis under international law-a significant decision that Beijing has consistently dismissed.

The joint statement reads: “We reaffirm that the award rendered ten years ago by the Arbitral Tribunal is significant and is final, legally binding and definitive between China and the Philippines.”

The Philippines and China have been involved in naval confrontations in recent years with Manila accusing Beijing of dangerous maneuvers within its maritime jurisdiction including the use of water cannons to interfere with resupply missions to Philippine-held features.

It is pertinent to mention that parties to the joint declaration include Australia, Britain, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Romania and Slovenia. The United States has consistently called on China to comply with the arbitration ruling.

The former Biden and current Trump administrations both have warned that Washington is bound to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia if its forces, vessels or aircraft come under armed attack in the disputed waters.