International Reactions to the Court's Ruling on the South China Sea Case

Immediately after the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued its ruling on the case, the Philippines promptly issued a statement welcoming the Court's decision.

At 4 PM on July 12th, Hanoi time, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, issued its ruling on the case brought by the Philippines regarding the South China Sea. Accordingly, the Permanent Court of Arbitration rejected China's claim of the "nine-dash line" in the South China Sea. International public opinion highly appreciated the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and called on all parties to exercise restraint and abide by the Court's decision.

Immediately after the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued its ruling on the case, the Philippines promptly issued a statement welcoming the Court's decision, while also urging the public to exercise restraint and calm to avoid excessive reactions. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs called it a "historic decision."

Filipinos gather at a bay in Manila awaiting and celebrating the PCA ruling. (Photo: REUTERS).

Philippine Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay stated at a press conference this afternoon: “Philippine experts have thoroughly studied this ruling, and it is a completely deserved one. The Philippines respects the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and calls for ‘restraint’ in the South China Sea following this ruling.”

The Philippine president convened an extraordinary government meeting following the court's ruling. The meeting took place at 6 PM local time on July 12 (approximately 7 PM Hanoi time on July 12).

The Philippine president affirmed that the Philippine government would carefully study the court's ruling before making any statements. Representing the Philippines in the case, Paul S. Reichler stated that this was the most important international legal basis in nearly 20 years.

Filipino citizens at a protest against China. (Photo: Getty)

According to the Vietnam National Radio correspondent based in the US, in its first official reaction to the Arbitration Tribunal's ruling, the US urged all parties involved to avoid provocative statements or actions.

According to US State Department spokesman John Kirby, when participating in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, all parties agreed to the mandatory dispute resolution process stipulated in the Convention. The arbitral tribunal's decision is final, legally binding, and could create new opportunities for efforts to resolve maritime disputes peacefully.

The United States hopes that all parties will abide by their obligations and encourages them to clarify their sovereignty claims under international law and to cooperate in managing and resolving disputes. These steps will lay the groundwork for further discussions aimed at narrowing the geographical scope of maritime disputes, establishing standards for conduct in the disputed area, and ultimately resolving disputes peacefully, without coercion, the use, or the threat of force.

On July 12, Indonesia also called on all parties involved in the arbitration case between the Philippines and China to exercise restraint and avoid steps that would escalate tensions. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Just before the court announced its ruling, on July 12, Thailand also issued a statement calling on all parties involved to maintain peace, stability, and development in the South China Sea and resolve disputes through peaceful means.

On July 12, Japan affirmed that the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands, is final and legally binding, urging all parties involved in the case to comply.

In a statement, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said that Japan has always affirmed the importance of the rule of law and supports the use of peaceful solutions instead of force or coercion in resolving maritime disputes.

Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen. (photo: Bui Hung/VOV-Tokyo).

On July 12, in response to a reporter's question asking for Vietnam's reaction to the final ruling issued by the Arbitration Tribunal established under Annex 7 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the basis of a request from the Philippines, Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Hai Binh stated: “Vietnam welcomes the final ruling issued by the Arbitration Tribunal on July 12, 2016. Vietnam will issue a statement on the content of the ruling.”

Vietnam once again affirms its consistent position on this case, as fully expressed in the Statement of December 5, 2014, from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Arbitration Tribunal. In that spirit, Vietnam strongly supports the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea, including diplomatic and legal processes, without the use or threat of force, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, maintaining peace and stability in the region, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and respecting the principle of the rule of law in the seas and oceans.”

“On this occasion, Vietnam reaffirms its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, its sovereignty over its internal waters and territorial sea, its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as defined in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as all of Vietnam’s legal rights and interests related to the geographical features of the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos,” added Le Hai Binh, spokesperson for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Le Hai Binh.

Meanwhile, at a press briefing at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, spokesperson Lu Kang reiterated that Beijing "does not care" about the ruling on the South China Sea case announced by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Reuters quoted Lu Kang as making the erroneous argument that the body had no jurisdiction to arbitrate the case and that China would not accept any ruling. On the same day, the Chinese Ministry of Defense issued a statement asserting that the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling would not affect the country's baseless self-proclaimed "sovereignty."

According to VOV