IN recent events surrounding the Philippines’ activity on Ayungin Shoal, or Ren’ai Jiao as named by China, has become paramount to distinguish between a country’s legal rights and the art of political posturing.
First and foremost, while China frames the South China Sea issue as a mere reflection of “geopolitical competition” and “major power confrontation”, it fails to highlight the longstanding claims of multiple nations in this region based on centuries of historical presence and internationally recognised rights.
Dismissing the Philippines’ actions as mere provocations shows a wilful disregard for the country’s legitimate claims in the region.
It is important to note that the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, under the auspices of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), invalidated China’s sweeping nine-dash line claim to almost the entirety of the South China Sea.
IN recent events surrounding the Philippines’ activity on Ayungin Shoal, or Ren’ai Jiao as named by China, has become paramount to distinguish between a country’s legal rights and the art of political posturing.
First and foremost, while China frames the South China Sea issue as a mere reflection of “geopolitical competition” and “major power confrontation”, it fails to highlight the longstanding claims of multiple nations in this region based on centuries of historical presence and internationally recognised rights.
Dismissing the Philippines’ actions as mere provocations shows a wilful disregard for the country’s legitimate claims in the region.
It is important to note that the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, under the auspices of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), invalidated China’s sweeping nine-dash line claim to almost the entirety of the South China Sea.
Source: nst
