 |
| Map charting the Arbitration Tribunals Findings (Click Image to Enlarge) |
The verdict on the case filed by the Philippines against China’s territorial claims in the East Sea, in the long term, will substantially contribute to peace and stability in the region, an expert said.
The tribunal constituted under Annex VII to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ruled on seven of the 15 points brought up by the Philippines. The ruling is generally in favour of the Philippines, said Tran Viet Thai, Deputy Director of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies under the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, in an interview with Vietnam News Agency .
Accordingly, the tribunal rejected the legal basis of the so-called nine-dash line along with historic rights over waters within this line. It also made clear judgments regarding China’s actions that harm the marine environment and violate the UNCLOS.
The rejection of the nine-dash line’s legal basis has considerably reduced the scope of disputes in the region, especially in Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, Thai said.
This is the first time the tribunal clearly defined characteristics of maritime features such as islands, rocks and low-tide elevations. It provides an important foundation for countries to conduct sea demarcation, fully assess their claims, and clarify their stance on the East Sea.
Read the full story at VietnamNet