Establishing a panel to judge the Philippines' lawsuit against China

CasePhilippinesThe case against China at the International Maritime Tribunal for the Law of the Sea over its excessive claims in the South China Sea has taken a new step forward. Japanese Chief Justice Shunji Yanai of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has appointed a Polish judge to represent China in the case.

PeoplePhilippinesprotest against China's actions in the East Sea.
Photo: thestar

Judge Stanislaw Pawlak will represent China in the case before the international arbitration court. The decision was made after China failed to appoint a representative within 60 days as required by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Mr. Pawlak will join the jury along with German judge Rudiger Wolfrum, the judge representingPhilippinesafter the country announced it was suing China in January.

"The next step, within 30 days, Chief Justice Yanai will nominate the remaining three members of the panel to consider Manila's case," Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said at a press conference yesterday. He stressed that the lawsuit is a peaceful process to resolve disputes between parties in the East Sea. "We affirm that this is a peaceful and sustainable form of dispute resolution in accordance with international law," he said.

China on February 19 officially rejected the lawsuit and accused the Philippine government of making false claims, while also reiterating that Beijing has historical and legal evidence to prove its sovereignty over almost the entire East Sea.

Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, once the five-member arbitration panel is determined, it will hear arguments from both sides and make an appropriate decision.

Over the past two years,ManilaThe Philippines has repeatedly protested Beijing’s increasingly aggressive stance in asserting sovereignty over the South China Sea and formally filed the case on January 22. Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the decision came after Manila had exhausted “almost all political and diplomatic avenues” to resolve the maritime dispute with Beijing. In its filing to the court, the Philippines said what Beijing calls the “nine-dash line” demonstrated that China’s sovereignty claims, including waters and islands close to its neighboring shores, were unlawful.

Although China may ignore the final decision of the International Court, an adverse decision for Beijing would be a diplomatic blow to China in the face of world criticism of its aggressive attitude and policies in the East Sea.

According to Vietnamnet-M