The international arbitral tribunal concluded that China's "nine-dash line" claim in the South China Sea is invalid and that China does not have historic rights over the region. The tribunal found no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its nine-dash line. Additionally, the tribunal determined that China's activities like building artificial islands in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone were illegal and violated the Philippines' sovereign rights.
The Sovereignty of the Sea: An Historical Account of the Claims of England to the Dominion of the British Seas, and of the Evolution of the Territorial Waters
The international arbitral tribunal concluded that China's "nine-dash line" claim in the South China Sea is invalid and that China does not have historic rights over the region. The tribunal found no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its nine-dash line. Additionally, the tribunal determined that China's activities like building artificial islands in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone were illegal and violated the Philippines' sovereign rights.
The international arbitral tribunal concluded that China's "nine-dash line" claim in the South China Sea is invalid and that China does not have historic rights over the region. The tribunal found no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its nine-dash line. Additionally, the tribunal determined that China's activities like building artificial islands in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone were illegal and violated the Philippines' sovereign rights.
The international arbitral tribunal concluded that China's "nine-dash line" claim in the South China Sea is invalid and that China does not have historic rights over the region. The tribunal found no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within its nine-dash line. Additionally, the tribunal determined that China's activities like building artificial islands in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone were illegal and violated the Philippines' sovereign rights.
invalidtribunal The international arbitral tribunal has concluded that Chinas nine-dash line in the South China Sea is invalid and that it does not have historic rights over the disputed region. The tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line, the tribunal said in their decision on the arbitration case between the Philippines and China released on Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENT BACKSTORY: Philippines wins arbitration case vs. China over South China Sea The tribunal concluded that historical navigation and fishing by China in the waters of the South China Sea represented the exercise of high seas freedoms, rather than a historic right, and that there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters of the South China Sea or prevented other states from exploiting their resources, it said. The Philippines had filed an arbitration case against China in January 2013 following the tense standoff at Scarborough Shoal where Chinese maritime law enforcement vessels blocked Philippine authorities. Filipino fishermen have been unable to fish in the resource rich Scarborough Shoal ever since. The tribunal had also concluded that Chinese activities such as building of artificial islands within the Philippines 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) were illegal. READ: Key points of arbitral tribunals verdict on PH-China dispute The tribunal found as a matter of fact that China had (a) interfered with Philippine petroleum exploration at Reed Bank, (b) purported to prohibit fishing by Philippine vessels within the Philippines exclusive economic zone, (c) protected and failed to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing within the Philippines exclusive economic zone at Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal, and (d) constructed installations and artificial islands at Mischief Reef without the authorization of the Philippines, the tribunal said. The tribunal therefore concluded that China had violated the Philippines sovereign rights with respect to its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, it said.
The Sovereignty of the Sea: An Historical Account of the Claims of England to the Dominion of the British Seas, and of the Evolution of the Territorial Waters