Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has flatly rejected the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the South China Sea, declaring the verdict “orchestrated and manipulated by external powers” and reiterating Beijing’s refusal to recognise or comply with it.
Speaking on the eve of the ruling’s ninth anniversary during the East Asian foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Wang delivered a strongly worded rebuke to foreign governments intervening in the maritime dispute, which has simmered for over a decade.
“The ruling was aimed at destabilising the South China Sea for their own benefit,” Wang said on Friday. “Beijing does not recognise them anymore.”
Though he did not name the United States directly, his remarks were interpreted as a veiled reference to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, known for his hawkish stance on China. “Every attempt to stir up trouble or sow discord will ultimately fail,” Wang added.
The 2016 arbitration case, brought unilaterally by the Philippines, was decided in China’s absence, a fact that Beijing has long cited in discrediting its legitimacy. The tribunal ruled in favour of Manila, stating that China’s sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea violated international maritime law and had severely harmed the marine environment through large-scale reclamation projects.
China’s response remains unchanged. Wang repeated the country's “four noes” on the ruling, “no acceptance, no mediation, no recognition, and no implementation”, and insisted the tribunal had overstepped its jurisdiction.
“This case dealt with questions of territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, which fall outside the scope of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the tribunal itself,” he said.
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While the initial ruling pertained to Philippine waters, Wang suggested the dispute has been distorted by wider geopolitical interests. “The issue is not limited to the Philippines. Vietnam, too, has raised claims. But these have no basis under Chinese law,” he asserted.
The Chinese foreign minister also turned attention to Taiwan, restating Beijing’s position that the island is a breakaway province that “must be reunited with the mainland, by force, if necessary.”
“If this standard were applied globally, the international maritime order would be rewritten, potentially depriving many nations of their maritime rights,” he warned. “Are you also willing to give up your claims?”
Tensions over Taiwan have escalated in recent months, with the People’s Liberation Army conducting frequent military drills simulating a swift takeover. The manoeuvres have raised concerns of a potential flashpoint in East Asia.
The arbitration ruling, dismissed by Beijing since its inception, remains a point of contention in regional diplomacy. Many ASEAN nations, wary of China’s rising assertiveness, have expressed concern, even as they stop short of openly challenging Beijing’s position.
The United States, which maintains freedom of navigation patrols in the disputed waters, continues to back the tribunal’s findings. However, Wang’s remarks signal China’s unrelenting resistance to what it sees as foreign interference in matters it deems sovereign.
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