China Rejects Tribunal Ruling, Vows to Defend South China Sea Claims

Accuses US of 'Stirring Up Trouble'

While the Philippines is still crowing about their “victory” in the South China Sea Tribunal hearing at the Hague, with China today insisting they don’t consider the Tribunal to mean anything, and that they intend to defend their claims in the South China Sea the same as before.

Indeed, Chinese officials suggested that the Tribunal was little more than a “puppet,” and blamed the US for “stirring up trouble.” China claims 90% of the South China Sea, and the US backs every other nation’s claims in the region to the extent they intersect with China’s.

The Tribunal insisted China had no historic claims to the South China Sea, and further ruled that their islands in the Sea aren’t true islands, and thus aren’t entitled to the usual maritime zones around them, on the grounds that the islands don’t support independent communities.

Taiwan is also mad about the ruling, since it also claimed their only island in the area, which they maintain is literally the only island in the South China Sea, isn’t an island either. Taiwan responded by sending a warship to the area.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.