Nations reaffirm 2016 ruling against Beijing

Beijing's sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea have no legal basis, 14 countries—including the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Romania—said in a joint statement published on Sunday to mark the 10th anniversary of a landmark international tribunal ruling on the issue, Reuters reported.

The Philippines won a case in 2016 before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which found that Beijing's sovereignty claims over the South China Sea had no legal basis under international law. China rejected the ruling, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

"We reaffirm that the arbitral tribunal's ruling issued ten years ago is a significant decision and is final, legally binding, and irrevocable between China and the Philippines," the joint statement said.

The Philippines and China have been involved in a series of maritime confrontations in recent years. Manila has accused Beijing of carrying out "dangerous maneuvers" within its exclusive economic zone.

In addition to Japan, the Philippines, and the United States, the joint statement was signed by Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Romania, and Slovenia.

China's Foreign Ministry reiterated the country's sovereignty claims on Sunday, saying tensions in the South China Sea are the result of increased military deployments by foreign powers, including the United States.

"The so-called ruling is nothing more than an illegal, null and void piece of paper with no binding force," the ministry said in a statement.

It called on the countries involved to respect China's territorial and maritime rights and to stop actions that undermine regional stability.

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