China calls for fresh talks with Philippines to resolve South China Sea disputes after UN ruling
China has called for fresh dialogue with the Philippines to resolve their South China Sea disputes following the landmark ruling by an international court on Tuesday.
A senior Chinese official said on Wednesday that the new leadership in the Philippines had offered new hope for repairing ties between the two countries following the tribunal ruling that was largely unfavourable to China.
China released a 49-page white paper on Wednesday, titled “China Adheres to Position of Settling Through Negotiation the Relevant Disputes Between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea”, in response to the ruling.
“We don’t understand the rationale of [former Philippine president] Benigno Aquino III initiating the ruling,” said Liu Zhenmin, China’s vice-foreign minister, said at a press conference to present the white paper. “But the leadership transition has offered a good chance for China and the Philippines to improve relations.
“There has been an agreement between China and the Philippines. Negotiation is the only way out,” Liu added.”
The white paper detailed the history and development of the maritime disputes between the two countries, while maintaining China’s long-standing position that the disputes should be resolved though bilateral dialogue.
Liu also slammed Tuesday’s ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, saying that it had failed to make a fair judgement on the dispute.
The court ruling said that Beijing’s history-based territorial claims to the South China Sea lacked legal basis and were contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“As the first case ruled by the court after the UNCLOS became effective, the operation of this court has exceeded the expectation of the people who drafted the UNCLOS. This has set a bad precedent and will become a notorious case in the international law,” Liu said. “This is a failed court.”
Liu also questioned the neutrality of the court, which he said was paid and controlled by the Philippines.
“Who is this court supported by?” Liu asked “They are profit-making. Who has control over them?
Who paid them? Is it the Philippines or other countries?”
He also questioned the composition of the court’s judging panel, saying that none of the judges was from Asia, and, therefore, did not have adequate understanding on the geopolitics in Asia.
Liu added that he did not rule out the possibility of establishing an air defence identification zone (AIDZ) in the South China Sea.
“First of all, we have such a right [to set up an AIDZ],” Liu said “This will depend on the level of threat that we have received. It will be based on overall considerations.”
Liu said negotiations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on the code of conduct in the South China Sea would not be affected by the ruling, and that China would continue to push for progress.
The UNCLOS sets out the rights and responsibilities of nations with regard to their use of the world’s oceans.
source: scmp.com