A country’s sovereignty must be respected

When the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against China over the South China Sea land dispute, Beijing rejected the ruling.

China also urged caution in words and action after Singapore called for accordance with international law in dealing with the detention of nine Singapore Armed Forces armoured carriers. Beijing’s actions — characterised as bullying by critics — lend credence to why countries are wary of China’s expansion and role in the South China Sea.

A country’s sovereignty must be respected regardless of whether it is an island or a continent, big or small. And the best way to assure this respect is through the application of international laws.