New | Key facts you need to know about Philippines’ South China Sea case ahead of court ruling today
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is due to deliver its ruling on Tuesday on China’s claims in the South China Sea. Here are some of the main issues at stake.
What does the Philippines want to achieve with the case?
The Philippines is asking the court to rule on three aspects relating to neighbouring countries’ competing claims in the South China Sea.
First, it wants the court to rule on whether the Philippines’ territorial claims in the region under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea should be placed above China’s historic claims to the same area, known as the “nine-dash line”.
Second, it wants a ruling on whether the disputed islands are actually “islands, rocks, low-tide elevations, or submerged banks”. The ruling could shore up the Philippines’ claims to the region by making it their Exclusive Economic Zone.
Third, it wants the court to rule on whether China has infringed on the Philippines’ sovereign rights through its construction work in the region and fishing activities.
The Philippines has raised 15 legal points for consideration. China has argued that the case should not be heard because the Permanent Court of Arbitration has no jurisdiction over territorial disputes.
The court ruled last year that seven of the 15 points fell within its purview while the remaining eight would be decided in its final verdict.
