China reiterates rejection of 2016 South China Sea Arbitration award

China reiterates that the award of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration is null, void and has no binding force, and that it neither accepts nor recognizes it. July 12, 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the ruling handed down by the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea, which was unilaterally set up at the Philippines' request. It negated China's claims to maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. Beijing says the move initiated by the Philippines aims not to resolve relevant disputes between the two countries, but to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. Many scholars have pointed out that the Arbitral Tribunal disregarded China's declaration made under Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and that flaws in the tribunal's panel composition undermined the fairness and impartiality of its ruling.