Manila's claim invalid from the outset

Disregarding China's strong objections, the Philippines approached an international tribunal in January 2013 for arbitration in the South China Sea dispute. Manila's continuous push for mandatory arbitration since then has prompted the tribunal to ask Beijing to respond by Dec 15.

China issued a document on Dec 7 reiterating that it will not accept or participate in such kind of arbitrations. The document is neither a response to the arbitral tribunal's demand, nor a plea for China itself. The document makes it legally clear that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case.

The Philippines' request seeking arbitration is based on its argument that China's claims in the South China Sea, including its "historic rights" and 200-nautical-mile territorial claim over the surrounding reefs and undersea resources, do not conform to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Manila also accuses Beijing of "illegally" interfering with the rights it has been granted by the Convention.