(Hot News Today • Thursday 14 July 2016)
China media goes on warpath against
tribunal ruling
BEIJING — China’s official media has 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.
The
Global Times on Tuesday evening 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.
Global
Times said 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 of 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 yesterday.
“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 both countries to
comply with their obligations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang
yesterday said “we are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to this
statement”.
![](https://t1.daumcdn.net/cfile/cafe/253F7C4E5787197014)
The front pages of Chinese newspapers
yesterday said that China does not accept or recognise The Hague’s ruling
that
the country’s claims on the South China Sea are invalid.
“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 yesterday 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. Mr. Obama’s top Asia policy adviser, Mr. Daniel
Kritenbrink, said the US had no interest in stirring tensions in the South
China Sea as a pretext for involvement in the region. AGENCIES