Philippines rejects Chinese embassy’s recent statement on the arbitral ruling

The Philippines rejected the Chinese embassy’s latest statement not to recognize Manila’s victory in the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea.

Manuel Mogato | June 22, 2026

MANILA — The Philippines, through its foreign office, rejected the Chinese embassy’s latest statement not to recognize Manila’s victory in the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea.

“The award is final and binding and has become an unassailable part of the corpus of international law, providing legal clarity regarding maritime rights and entitlements in the South China Sea,” the foreign office said in a statement.

“It is not and will never be illegal, null and void.”

The Chinese embassy described the arbitration as “a political circus” not based on legal standing. It also said the Philippines violated an informal code of conduct signed in Cambodia in 2002, when it went to The Hague to seek arbitration.

However, the Philippines said the 2013 arbitration case did not seek to rule on the ownership of features in the South China Sea, including Bajo de Masinloc, which China seized in 2012. (Also read: China removes “floating platform” near Bajo de Masinloc

“There should be no confusion that the 2016 Arbitral Award is focused on issues concerning the interpretation and application of UNCLOS, including the legal status of maritime features, maritime entitlements under the Convention, and the compatibility of certain maritime claims with international law,” the foreign office said.

“In its Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility, the Arbitral Tribunal rejected China’s objection that the disputes involve territorial sovereignty in the South China Sea and therefore beyond the tribunal’s jurisdiction.”

China has been asserting its sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc, a shoal more than 500 nautical miles from its coastal area.

The Philippines continued to patrol near the shoal, asserting its jurisdiction under the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both China and the Philippines are signatories.

Manila said Bajo de Masinloc is within its 200 nautical-mile exclusive economic zone under UNCLOS.

China claimed almost the entire South China Sea; Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam also have conflicting claims on the strategic waterway, where $3 trillion in seaborne trade passes annually.

The Philippines said the tribunal has nullified China’s excessive nine-dash-line claim on the South China Sea.

No other country has supported China’s position. On the other hand, the Philippines’ arbitral victory was recognized by the international community. (Also read: 86% of Filipinos favor alliances with like-minded nations to defend WPS -Stratbase poll)