10 Years After South China Sea Ruling, 14 Nations Challenge China's 'Expansionist Ambitions'

On the 10th anniversary of the landmark South China Sea arbitration ruling, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and 11 other allied nations have issued a joint statement. They reaffirmed the binding legal authority of the Permanent Court of Arbitration's 2016 decision, directly challenging China's expansive territorial claims in the region.

The joint declaration explicitly states that China's claims in the South China Sea are "without legal basis." The signatories called on Beijing to adhere to international law. The Philippines initially won the case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016. The tribunal ruled that China's "nine-dash line" claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea lacked legal foundation. However, Beijing has consistently refused to recognize this ruling.

In addition to the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines, the statement was co-signed by Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovenia. This broad coalition underscores international concern over China's actions in the disputed waters.

The statement highlighted the 10-year-old ruling as a "significant milestone" that is "final and binding" on both China and the Philippines. In recent years, the Philippines has repeatedly accused Chinese vessels of engaging in "dangerous maneuvers" within its exclusive economic zone. These incidents include the use of water cannons to disrupt resupply missions to Philippine outposts, escalating geopolitical tensions in the strategically vital waterway.