Ten years ago, an international arbitration ruling ushered in a new phase in the South China Sea dispute. Ten years later, Beijing's recent series of statements and public relations actions regarding the South China Sea issue have once again drawn international attention. Why this particular time?
Ten years after the South China Sea arbitration, why is Beijing making so many moves? Ten years ago, an international arbitration ruling ushered in a new phase in the South China Sea dispute. Ten years later, Beijing's recent series of statements and propaganda activities regarding the South China Sea issue have once again attracted international attention. Why this particular time? (Olivia Meng)
July 12th this year marks the tenth anniversary of the ruling issued by the Philippines-China arbitration tribunal in the South China Sea. On the eve of the anniversary, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a statement on behalf of the EU, reaffirming the legal binding force of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling and emphasizing that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is an important legal foundation for maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Meanwhile, 14 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia, issued a joint statement reiterating their support for the arbitration award and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded swiftly to this.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian:
"Europe is not a party to the South China Sea issue, and has no right to interfere in China's legitimate territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea. We urge the European side to be cautious in its words and deeds and stop endorsing illegal rulings."
Besides diplomatic responses, Beijing's other recent actions regarding the South China Sea issue have also drawn international attention. The Global Times reported on July 10 that some scholars at a conference suggested China assert sovereignty over the Batanes Islands in the Philippines, stating that the Batanes are a natural geographical extension of Taiwan. To date, the Chinese government has not formally made any such sovereignty claims.
In addition, China Daily , the official English-language newspaper of China , recently released an AI animation depicting Filipinos as monkeys and using a whale's voice to refer to the South China Sea arbitration ruling as "marine garbage." The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs subsequently issued a statement strongly condemning the video and demanding its removal. As of now, China Daily has not responded.
Why has Beijing taken these actions regarding the South China Sea issue on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the South China Sea arbitration?
"In the logic of so-called customary international law, once the South China Sea arbitration ruling is issued, if China does not take any action to protest or publicly oppose it, it will be automatically interpreted at the level of international law as China agreeing to or acquiescing to the ruling. In order to avoid this outcome, China's diplomatic system and official propaganda will continuously and loudly express their opposition, maintaining that China believes this is still a controversial issue."
In 2016, the arbitral tribunal established under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ruled that China's so-called "nine-dash line" claim lacked a basis in international law. China has consistently refused to recognize and implement this ruling, maintaining that related disputes should be resolved through consultation between the directly involved parties. In recent years, the Philippines has deepened its security cooperation with the United States, Japan, and other countries, and the Batanes Islands, located between Taiwan and the Philippines, have once again attracted attention due to their strategic location. Against this backdrop, Beijing's recent series of statements and propaganda activities regarding the South China Sea issue have drawn international attention.
Song Wendi, a non-resident researcher at the Atlantic Council, a US think tank:
"China's continued refusal to recognize the South China Sea arbitration ruling will naturally have a lasting negative impact on Sino-Philippine relations, and even on China's diplomatic relations with the entire ASEAN. Similarly, this will give the Philippines more incentive to strengthen security cooperation with the United States and Japan to offset security pressure from China. In this context, it will actually pose a significant challenge to China's desire to break through the first island chain at sea."
Ten years later, the South China Sea arbitration ruling continues to influence diplomatic interactions between China and the Philippines, as well as throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Whether Beijing's recent statements and propaganda activities regarding the South China Sea issue signify a new shift in its diplomatic and strategic rhetoric remains to be seen.
