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China media goes on warpath against tribunal ruling

BEIJING — Chinese official media have angrily denounced the ruling of an international tribunal on the South China Sea, with the Global Times saying in a hard-hitting editorial that the final verdict was “more radical and shameless” than expected.

A restaurant's banner partly reads "South China Sea is China's territory"  in Beijing on Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Photo: AP

A restaurant's banner partly reads "South China Sea is China's territory" in Beijing on Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Photo: AP

BEIJING — Chinese official media have angrily denounced the ruling of an international tribunal on the South China Sea, with the Global Times saying in a hard-hitting editorial that the final verdict was “more radical and shameless” than expected.

Global Times labelled the ruling “ridiculous”, adding that the verdict has “brazenly violated” China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights. “All Chinese people are outraged by this illegal verdict and the world’s peace-loving public is astonished by the biased decision that may escalate regional tensions,” it said on Tuesday evening (July 12).

Global Times said that the tribunal has “shamelessly overstepped and abused its authority”, adding that it is a “brutal violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and the international law system.

“The so-called arbitration award is nothing but a piece of paper. But if the United States and Japan use it to pile military and political pressure on Beijing, Chinese people will firmly support our government to launch a tit-for-tat counterpunch,” said the editorial.

Beijing has repeatedly blamed the US for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, where its territorial claims overlap in parts with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. Massive land reclamation and construction of military facilities in the disputed islands have sparked fears of militarisation in the region. Washington has also launched a series of patrols in the region, ostensibly to uphold freedom of navigation, drawing China’s ire.

The tribunal ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea, effectively nullifying its claims there. China has vowed to ignore the ruling.

“China will take all necessary measures to protect its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily said in a front page commentary on Wednesday.

“The arbitral tribunal acts as a lackey of some outside forces. They will be remembered as a laughing stock in human history,” it added.

In response to a statement by the US State Department noting that the ruling is legally binding on both China and the Philippines and urging the two countries to comply with their obligations, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang on Wednesday said, “We are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to this statement.”

“The US statement turned a blind eye to the facts and endorsed a ruling that is illegal and invalid. Such act went against the spirit of the rule of law, international law, basic norms governing international relations, and its declaration of not taking sides on issues concerning territorial disputes, obstructing efforts by relevant parties to properly manage and control maritime situation and peacefully resolve the disputes,” said Mr Lu, adding that the US has been selective in the application of international law.

China’s ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai said on Wednesday that the ruling will intensify conflict in the region.

He said that the decision “will certainly undermine or weaken the motivation of states to engage in negotiations and consultations for solving their dispute”. He added that the case will undermine the authority and effectiveness of international law.

The envoy also blamed Washington’s pivot to Asia under President Barack Obama for increased tensions in the South China Sea. Mr Obama’s top Asia policy adviser, Mr Daniel Kritenbrink, said however that the US had no interest in stirring tensions in the South China Sea as a pretext for involvement in the region. AGENCIES

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