Fourteen countries reaffirmed the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling, rejecting China's expansive maritime claims
China dismissed the ruling as "illegal" and a "worthless piece of paper", accusing external powers of destabilising the region
The diplomatic exchange comes amid renewed tensions over China's coast guard patrols and military activities in the South China Sea
The European Union also backed the arbitral ruling and called for disputes to be resolved peacefully under international law
14 countries, including Australia, Japan and the United States rejected China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea on Sunday, marking the 10th anniversary of a landmark arbitral ruling that Beijing has refused to accept, according to a joint statement released by the governments.
The joint statement, issued by Australia, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States, reaffirmed that the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal award is "final, legally binding, and definitive" between China and the Philippines. The signatories said there is "no legal basis for China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, including those based on 'historic rights'."
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded with a strongly worded statement on Monday, rejecting the joint statement and reiterating its long-standing position that the arbitral award is "illegal, null and void, and has no binding force." Beijing said the award is "nothing but a worthless piece of paper" and accused the United States and other external countries of "persistently reinforcing military presence in the South China Sea, throwing their weight around and fanning the flames."
The 2016 Arbitral Award And China's Stance
The arbitration, initiated by the Philippines in January 2013 under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, was concluded on July 12, 2016, with the Permanent Court of Arbitration serving as registry. The tribunal ruled that China's claims based on "historic rights" within the nine-dash line had no legal basis, and that certain maritime features were rocks rather than islands, entitling them to limited maritime zones. China did not participate in the proceedings, maintaining a position of non-acceptance and non-participation. The tribunal was presided over by Judge Thomas A. Mensah.
On the day the award was issued, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement declaring that the award "is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it." The statement said the Philippines' unilateral initiation of arbitration was "out of bad faith" and aimed "not to resolve the relevant disputes between China and the Philippines, or to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, but to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea."
China's 2016 statement further argued that the Philippines had "deliberately packaged" territorial and maritime delimitation disputes as mere issues concerning the interpretation or application of UNCLOS, and that the Arbitral Tribunal "obviously errs in ascertaining facts and applying the law." Beijing reiterated that its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests "shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards."
The Joint Statement And EU Position
The signatories of the joint statement "reiterate our strong opposition to any destabilizing or unilateral actions including by force or coercion that threaten peace and stability in the region." They also condemned the use of coast guard, military, and maritime militia forces to "harass, obstruct, or intimidate lawful operations by other States."
The European Union also issued a separate statement marking the 10th anniversary of the award, according to a press release from the Council of the EU. The EU's High Representative reaffirmed the bloc's support for the ruling and called for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law.
China's Military And Maritime Moves
The diplomatic confrontation comes amid heightened tensions over China's military and maritime activities in the region. On July 6, China's coast guard sent another fleet into waters east of Taiwan, prompting Taipei to call the move illegal and destabilising. Beijing's coast guard said the fleet would conduct law enforcement patrols in what it described as China's jurisdictional waters, adding that it would strengthen such operations and "firmly safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests." Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council rejected the patrol, saying China had no sovereignty, jurisdiction or law enforcement authority over the waters east of the island.
This marked the second such operation in the space of a month. China said the first, conducted in June, was prompted by Japan and the Philippines announcing formal talks on their maritime boundaries, which Beijing characterised as encroaching on Chinese waters near Taiwan.
Meanwhile, China test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile into the southern Pacific on July 6, according to a report. The launch from a Type-094 nuclear-powered submarine assessed key stealth and command operations for its growing nuclear forces. Chinese state media portrayed the test as a "routine" military drill that was not aimed at any specific target or country and was conducted professionally. The United States described it as an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed in the southern Pacific Ocean.
Analysts said the test offered China's military leadership a valuable opportunity to evaluate complex aspects of its developing nuclear deterrent, including commanding and communicating with nuclear-armed submarines while striving to remain undetected. The JL-3 missile, believed capable of carrying multiple warheads, has a range of 10,000 km (6,214 miles) and was publicly displayed in a Beijing military parade in September 2025.
China's Response And Regional Tensions
In its latest statement, China's foreign ministry said its sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and relevant rights and interests "have been established in the long course of history" and that the country has "continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction." Beijing said it remains committed to resolving disputes through negotiation and consultation with countries directly concerned, "on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law."
China accused the Philippines of using the award "to expand its territorial and maritime claims" and said the award has "exacerbated tensions in the region and provided a pretext for external forces to intervene and destabilize the South China Sea." Beijing urged the relevant countries to "stop stirring up trouble over the South China Sea issue."
