14 Nations Reaffirm 2016 Ruling Against China's South China Sea Claims

The United States, the United Kingdom, and twelve other nations issued a joint statement on Sunday reaffirming that China's expansive claims in the South China Sea are illegal under international law, based on a 2016 arbitration ruling.

The statement, released on the tenth anniversary of the landmark decision by a tribunal at The Hague, declared the ruling 'final, legally binding, and definitive.' The nations rejected 'destabilising' actions in the disputed waters, calling for peaceful resolution of territorial disputes under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

China has consistently refused to recognize the 2016 ruling, which it calls 'illegal, null, and void.' The arbitration was initiated by the Philippines in 2013 following a tense standoff over a shoal in the Spratly Islands. The tribunal ruled that China had no legal basis for its 'historic rights' claims outside its exclusive economic zone under UNCLOS.

In addition to the U.S. and U.K., the signatories included the Philippines, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovenia. The group emphasized opposition to 'unilateral actions, including by force or coercion,' and condemned the use of coast guard and military vessels to 'harass, obstruct, or intimidate' lawful operations by other states.

China's embassy in Manila reiterated its position that the ruling 'will not alter the historical and factual basis for China's sovereignty over the islands of the South China Sea and their adjacent waters.' Beijing continues to assert sovereignty over nearly the entire sea passage, a vital global trade route.

Territorial confrontations have escalated in recent years, with Chinese vessels using water cannons, lasers, and blocking maneuvers against Philippine and Vietnamese forces. The United States has repeatedly called on China to comply with the arbitration award.