Palace not surprised by China’s rejection of PH arbitral win

By Prince Golez

China’s statement that the Philippine arbitral victory is just a “piece of waste paper” did not come as a surprise, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque echoed the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte during the 75th General Session of the United National General Assembly in September 2020 that the country’s arbitral victory in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) was already part of international law.

“Hindi na tayo nagulat nang sinabi ng Chinese Foreign Ministry na ang July 2016 Arbitral Award ay ‘a piece of paper’,” Roque said during his

“Bilang sagot sa sinabi ng spokesperson ng Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ang tingin po natin ang award ay kabahagi na ng international law, yan po ay sang ayon sa Article 38 ng ICJ (International Court of Justice) Statute,” he added.

At a press briefing in Beijing Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian insisted that the ruling against China’s excessive maritime claims in the WPS was “illegal” and “nothing more than a piece of waste paper.”

Beijing, Zhao added, has “abundant” historical and legal basis as regards its sovereign rights in the disputed region.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)