Binuweltahan ng bansang China ang 14 bansang nagpahayag ng suporta sa inilabas na South China Sea Arbitration Award na pumabor sa Pilipinas hinggil sa isyu ng South China Sea isang dekada na ang lumipas.

Matatandaang bumuo ng isang joint statement ang Pilipinas noong Linggo, Hulyo 12, kasama ang 13 pang mga bansa, bilang pagdidiin sa desisyong inihayag sa Permanent Court of Arbitration noong Hulyo 12, 2016—na nagpapawalang-bisa sa “nine-dash claims” ng China.

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Sa isang Facebook post na ibinahagi ng Chinese Embassy Manila noon ding Linggo, Hulyo 12, inisa-isa ng Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China ang anila’y mga punto nila ukol sa nasabing usapin.

“China has sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands), consisting of Dongsha Qundao (the Dongsha Islands), Xisha Qundao (the Xisha Islands), Zhongsha Qundao (the Zhongsha Islands) and Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands); China has internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, based on Nanhai Zhudao; China has historic rights in the South China Sea. China’s sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao and the relevant rights and interests in the South China Sea have been established in the long course of history,” saad ng China.

Anila, “As early as 200 B.C., in the Western Han Dynasty, the Chinese people sailed in the South China Sea and, through long-term practice, discovered Nanhai Zhudao. China is the first to have continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Nanhai Zhudao and relevant waters.”

“Nanhai Zhudao have long been widely recognized by the international community as part of China’s territory,” dagdag pa nila.

Giit pa ng China, hindi nila nakikitang problema ang kalayaan pagdating sa navigation at overflight sa katubigan—sapagkat ang South China Sea ay ang anila’y isa sa pinakaligtas na sea lanes sa mundo.

Pinalagan din nito ang umano’y military presence reinforcement ng iba’t ibang bansa sa lugar, partikular na ang Amerika.

“The South China Sea is one of the safest sea lanes in the world. The freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea has never been a problem. China firmly upholds its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and remains steadfast in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. In response to certain countries’ infringements and provocations in the South China Sea, China has taken resolute measures to defend its rights and interests—measures that are reasonable, legitimate, professional and restrained,” anang China.

“The U.S. and other external countries have been persistently reinforcing military presence in the South China Sea, throwing their weight around and fanning the flames. These acts of militarization and coercion constitute the primary challenge to the current situation in the South China Sea,” dagdag pa nito.

Pagdidiin ng bansa, klaro ang kanilang posisyon pagdating sa isyu ng South China Sea—naniniwala silang nilalabag ng naturang arbitration ang ilang fundamental principles ng international law.

“The so-called ‘award’ is nothing but a worthless piece of paper that is illegal, null and void, and has no binding force. China does not accept or recognize the ‘award,’ and opposes and does not accept any claim or action based on it. China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall not be affected by the ‘award’ under any circumstances,” diin ng China.

Anila, “For the past 10 years, the ‘award’ has not only failed to resolve the maritime issues between China and the Philippines, but instead has become a tool for the Philippines to expand its territorial and maritime claims, exacerbated tensions in the region and provided a pretext for external forces to intervene and destabilize the South China Sea.”

Udyok pa ng China sa “relevant countries” ay respetuhin nito ang anila’y territorial sovereignty at maritime rights ng kanilang bansa.

“China urges the relevant countries to earnestly respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, stop stirring up trouble over the South China Sea issue, and cease undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,” pagtatapos ng China.

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Photo courtesy: Chinese Embassy Manila/FB