AMSTERDAM: Judges at an arbitration tribunal in The
Hague
on Tuesday rejected China's claims to economic rights across large swathes of the
South China Sea in a ruling that will be claimed as a victory by the
Philippines
.
"There was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'," the court said, referring to a demarcation line on a 1947 map of the sea, which is rich in energy, mineral and fishing resources.
In the 497-page ruling, judges also found that
Chinese law enforcement patrols had risked colliding with Philippine fishing vessels in parts of the sea and caused irreparable damage to coral reefs with construction work.
"None of the Spratly islands grant China an exclusive economic zone," the Hague tribunal said.
China, which boycotted the case brought by the Philippines, has said it will not be bound by any ruling.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday that the "law-abusing tribunal" hearing a case about the disputed
South China Sea had issued an "ill-founded award".
It gave no other details.
Philippines urges "restraint and sobriety" The Philippines' foreign minister called for "restraint and sobriety" in the South China Sea on Tuesday after an international arbitration court issued a decision favourable to Manila and condemned by Beijing.
"Our experts are studying this award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves," Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference.
"We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety. The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision."
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