THE PHILIPPINE STAR

China reiects UK France, Germany call'to respect SCS ruling

By PIA LEE-BRAGO
China has rejected, as "un-
countries to safeguard peace and
stability in the South China Sea.
China opposer that," Geng stated.
"We urge those countries to
look at the South China Sea issue
,
bitration found no legal basis tor Lnlna to but House t_Jeputy Upgaker LI(ay Vil-
claim historicrights to a'lnine-dash line" lafuerte said Dutbrtd aia'tfre right irung Earlieq, the mili-
in the SCS and that Beijing had breached in raisingahe issue of ovedappiis claimi tary and the De-
parhnentof Nation-
the sovereign rights'of the Philippines, in the SCS.
al Defense raised

welcome" the call of the United l

Kingdom, France and Germany
on the South China Sea claimants
to respect the arbitration rul-
ing of 20L6 and the rulgs-based
framework laid out in,the United
Nations Convention on the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Chinese Foreign Minis-
tqp said the situation ih the SCS
remains stable and is improving
because of the concerted effortb
of China and ASEAN countries.
which brought the case. "Our President has been bold and
objectively, stop making negative The E3 welcomed the ongoing nego- their concerns on
forthright enough to assert the philip-
comments, and create an enabling tiations between ASEAN member states the incursions o.f
pines' legal victory over China in the
arbitral case before the Permanent Court the Chinese
environment for regional coun- and China for a rules-based, co-operative ships
tries to properly handle maritime of Arbitration in The Hague inluly 20"1.6,,,
in Philippines wa-
and effective Code of Conduct consistent ters without first in-
disputes and advance cooPeration," he he said, adding that forming authorities
*iin bNclos in the Eouth China Sea the move shows pa-
said, and encourage progresd towards its early of their presence.
In a statement, the UK France and Ger- triotism.
--^;;;iG
conclusion.
Presidential - With Delon
many or E3 said they are concerned about a meeting inrBeiling on Thurs- Porcalla
the situation in the SCS, which could lead spokesman Salva-
dav PresTdent DutJrte raised-to Chinese
to insecurity and instability in the T"glol pr6ria"tit Xi ]inping the 2016 arbitral rul- dor Panelo earlier
said the two Asian
*r"Ae€ -bu
They called on all qoastal states of the SC$ i""-i"""tida[ing B6iling's excessive and
"to\ake steps and measures that reduce leaders agreed that
;;?;ti"" clairf; in ihe"south China Sea
I

"W€, the regidnal countries, tensions and contribute to maintaining "the conflict issue
have the will, wisdom and caPa- anh reaffirming the Philippines' maritime
and promoting peace, security, stabil- should not be the
bility to properly resolve the South entitlements.
--
itv afrd safetyln the reg-iory including sum total of the re-
Chiia Sia iisue"and achieve long- n,tt"tte said the arbitral award is final' lationship between
as regards th6 riglrts of coastal States in Uinding and not subject to appeal, but Xi
term stability, development and theirlnraters and"the freedom and rights the two'iountries"
prosperity in this region," said t=itutuEa his position against recognizing and thatboth coun-
of navigation in and overflight above the the ruling
Foreign Ministry spokesPerson tries should "con-
South China Sea." Forme"r foreign affairs secretarlz Albert
Geng Shuang in a press conference "As State parties of the United Nations tinue with the
Ll 1(; dia-
del Rosario saii that accepting China's
" ullqv vYlLll

in Beijing on Friday. , logue peacefully on

While implementing the Dec-
Convention on the Law of the Sea France, reiection of the Philippines' arbitral win that issue."
Germanv, and the United Kingdorn m'isht constitute:betr-ayat of public trust'
- -P'pslthe
laration on the Conduct of Parties underhn6 their interest in the universal Surigao del Norte
Philippinesto haG been asked
in ihe SCS in a comprehensive
and effective manner, China and
anolication of the Convention which sets to agee that it witl not bring Yp tI" it; i,R*p. Francisco Ma-
ASEAN countries have vigorouslY
;iriil; ao*ptehensive legal framework sue Xgain is to effectively accept without
tugas trhopes China
'would respect the
within which all activities in the oceans uonirr"o.ution that China-is above the rule
advanced and made imPortant Philippines andthat
and seas including in the South China Sea
progress in the consultations on must be carried out and which provides ;f=i;; This would be so wrong' It would one way of doing
we have placed
a Code of Condtict'(COCI in,the the basis for national, regional and global ' u U"trayalof the trust
Uu
he stressed' this is by informing
governance,"
, South China Sea, he added. co-operation in the maritime domain' - our
in
ih"".ountry's former top diPlomat said
Filipinos what the
"On the other hand, how- They recall in this.regatqthe Arbitration "armed warships
the public "must convince^our leadets-hiP
eve4'some non-regional countries Awird rendered under UNCLOS on 1"2 and survey ships
inuf *u need to strengthen our resolve' were doing in Phil-
made unwelcome remarks and de- luly 2015," their joint statement read'
'
liberately highlighted tensions in itt a landmark ruling on fuly L2,20L6, I u"{
n9! lrave rlweakeled"'.
ippine territorial
disregard of the efforts by regional the Hague-based Permlnent Court of Ar- waters."