UN tribunal starts arbitration process on PHL-China sea
dispute
July 16, 2013 4:50pm
A United Nations tribunal has been convened in the Netherlands to look into a complaint filed by
the Philippines questioning
the legality of China ’s
massive territorial claim in the resource-rich South China
Sea .
“The Philippine government is pleased that the Arbitral Tribunal is now formally constituted, and that the arbitration process has begun,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told a press briefing Tuesday.
The progress in thePhilippines ’s
legal challenge against China
comes amid increasing animosity between the two Asian neighbors due to their
long-standing territorial conflict.
Manila and Beijing
recently traded diplomatic barbs over the Philippines ’s
decision to seek international arbitration - the latest manifestation of a
longstanding territorial feud between the two countries over South
China Sea territories.
Recently, the conflict was reignited with tense confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels in two disputed shoals – Scarborough and Ayungin – offManila ’s western coasts.
At their first meeting on July 11, the President and Members of the Tribunal designatedThe Hague in the Netherlands as
the seat of the arbitration and the Permanent Court of Arbitration as the
Registry for the proceedings, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
Part of the process is to determine if the tribunal has jurisdiction overManila ’s complaint. The
case will only proceed once the tribunal decides that the complaint filed by
the Philippines
has legal merit and falls under its jurisdiction.
“Whether they have decided jurisdiction, they will publicly announce this,” Hernandez said.
Manila pledged
its “fullest cooperation” with the tribunal “in order to assure a fair,
impartial and efficient process that produces a final and binding judgment in
conformity with international law.”
“The Philippine government is pleased that the Arbitral Tribunal is now formally constituted, and that the arbitration process has begun,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told a press briefing Tuesday.
The progress in the
Recently, the conflict was reignited with tense confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels in two disputed shoals – Scarborough and Ayungin – off
At their first meeting on July 11, the President and Members of the Tribunal designated
Part of the process is to determine if the tribunal has jurisdiction over
“Whether they have decided jurisdiction, they will publicly announce this,” Hernandez said.
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