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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 23) – President Rodrigo Duterte affirmed before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) the victory of the Philippines against China in a 2016 ruling on the South China Sea.
“The Philippines affirms that commitment in the South China Sea in accordance with UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitration Award. The Award is now part of international law, beyond the commitment and beyond the reach of governments in transition to dilute, diminish it. or abandon it, “Duterte said in his pre-recorded speech aired during the general debate of the 75th United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday (Philippine time).
Duterte, who first appeared at the UNGA in his four-year presidency, said the Philippines rejects any attempt to undermine that arbitration ruling and secured the country’s adherence to the UN Charter and the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Solution Peaceful of the International. Disputes.
The president also thanked the nations that supported the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) favoring the Philippines over China’s broad claims in the South China Sea.
“We welcome the growing number of states that have supported the award and what the triumph of reason over recklessness, law over disorder, friendship over ambition represents. This, as it should, is the majesty of the law, “he added.
In a separate speech at the 75th UNGA, Chinese President Xi Jinping assured his commitment to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation.
“We will never seek hegemony, expansion or sphere of influence. We have no intention of fighting a Cold War or a hot war with any country,” Xi said.
In its decision, the CPA said there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to most of the South China Sea using its “nine-dash line” claim. The ruling covered marine features in the Western Philippine Sea, including the highly disputed Masinloc Bass or Scarborough Shoal, as part of Philippine territorial waters.
China has repeatedly refused to acknowledge the PCA’s ruling and continued to claim islands in the disputed areas for military and investigative purposes.
On the fourth anniversary of the PCA’s historic ruling last July, Philippine Foreign Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin Jr. asked China to adhere to the ruling, saying the arbitration award is “non-negotiable.”
On September 18, three European nations issued a joint note verbale to the UN challenging China’s radical claims in the South China Sea and acknowledging the 2016 arbitration ruling in favor of the Philippines. These countries are France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
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