China has rejected a ruling by the Hague Tribunal on jurisdiction and admissibility of the South China Sea arbitration. A statement by the Foreign Ministry declares the ruling null and void and says it has no binding effect on China.
The court ruled Thursday it has jurisdiction to hear some territorial claims filed by the Philippines against China, over disputed areas in the South China Sea. The Foreign Ministry statement says China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and the adjacent waters.
It says the sovereignty and relevant rights are protected under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the law of the Sea, or UNCLOS. The statement says the Philippines' push for arbitration is a political provocation under the cloak of law.
