【今日头条】专家解读中方对菲所提南海仲裁案管辖权立场

Experts' view on China's position paper towards Philippines' South China Sea Arbitration Legal observers are suggesting that the moves taken by the Philippines over its territorial spats with China in the South China Sea are counterproductive when it comes to resolving the issue. This comes as China issued a position paper, reiterating its stance on jurisdiction in South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines. The Position Paper reiterates the Chinese Government's firm stance that it will neither accept nor participate in the arbitration. In early 2013, the Philippines unilaterally initiated compulsory arbitration proceedings with respect to the relevant issues between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Since then, Manila has obstinately pushed for the proceedings over the repeated objections of China. Wu Shicun is President of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies. "This has once again proved that the Philippines is a trouble maker. On March 30th, the Philippines made a formal request to the Arbitral Tribunal. Then it stirred up several provocations around the Ren'ai Reef in South China Sea. Later on, it held several sport games with Vietnamese soldiers in the South China Sea. Ahead of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meetings, the Philippines even proposed a three-step resolution, which was rejected at the meeting. These series of moves show the Philippines are unwilling to maintain the stability in the region, and it has constantly hurt the Chinese people's feeling." The Position Paper further states that through the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea which was issued in 2002, China and the Philippines have already agreed to settle their relevant disputes through negotiation. Therefore, the Chinese government is accusing the Philippines of violating its obligations under international law by unilaterally initiating the present arbitration. China also points out that the arbitration tribunal does not even have jurisdiction over this case. Liang Fang, a military expert, explains the legal basis of China's stance. She points out that China started to exercise its sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and the adjacent waters since ancient times, and that an acknowledgment of this on the part of the Philippine side is both a precondition of and a basis for solving the issue. "Historically speaking, since China was the first country to discover, name and to constantly rule these isles and reefs, then they are of right part of China's territory. This is very crucial and the Philippines have ignored these principles intentionally. " The Position Paper also calls on relevant parties to engage in dialogue and cooperation to preserve peace and stability of the South China Sea.