The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague (Source: BBC)Hanoi (VNA) – Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on July 12 issued a statement calling on parties in the Philippines’s lawsuit against China on disputes in the East Sea to fully respect legal and diplomatic processes following the ruling issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
The MFA also called on the parties to exercise refrain and avoid taking any activities that could spark tension in the region.
Replying to the media on the PCA’s ruling, the Spokesperson for the MFA said Singapore acknowledged the ruling.
The country supported the peaceful settlement of disputes in conformity with recognised principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the MFA remarked.
Singapore also supports the maintenance of an order that is based on law and the rights and exclusive rights of all countries are maintained and protected, the MFA said, adding its country backs the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and the early approval of a code of conduct in the sea area.
Meanwhile, Thailand has urged all parties with stakes in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) to maintain peace and stability.
In a statement issued ahead of the PCA’s ruling on a dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, Thailand's Foreign Ministry said it is important to restore trust and confidence among countries in the region.
It said the situation in the South China Sea should be resolved "on the basis of mutual trust and confidence as well as equitable benefit" that would reflect the long-standing relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on its website that it is studying the case carefully.
On July 12, the PCA in The Hague, the Netherlands, issued the ruling on the case brought by the Philippines against China’s nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea.
It affirmed that China’s claims to historic rights over waters within the nine-dash line are contrary to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
China has caused permanent and irreparable harm to the coral reef ecosystem at the Spratly (Truong Sa) archipelago, and that it also has no historic title over waters of the South China Sea, the tribunal said.
The Hague Tribunal also finds no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the nine-dash line.
According to The Hague court, China has no rights to a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) surrounding the Mischief and Thomas reefs.
The court defined “Ba Binh” feature in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago as a “rock” which means it has no EEZ.
The PCA also underlined that China has interfered with the traditional fishing rights of the Philippines in Scarborough Shoal, highlighting that China’s actions have worsen disputes between the country and the Philippines when efforts have been made to resolve the disputes.-VNA
