Just in case they forget, the Arbitral Tribunal clearly ruled that China’s claims of “historic rights” within the so-called nine-dash line have no legal basis. Areas within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf are under Philippine jurisdiction, not Chinese. Conducting marine scientific research in another state’s EEZ without the coastal state’s consent is unlawful under UNCLOS Articles 56 and 246.
Their justification relies entirely on an illegal and expansive claim that has been unequivocally rejected by international law. True peace and stability in the South China Sea can only be achieved through respect for UNCLOS and the rules-based international order — not through unilateral assertions of “jurisdiction” over waters and features that do not belong to them, nor through the normalization of unlawful activities. Any attempt to fabricate “no incidents” while insisting on illegal claims only confirms who is truly trying to provoke and destabilize the region.
