Beijing reaffirms its territorial claims in South China Sea

The foreign ministry reaffirms China's claims in the South China Sea, saying the 2016 "South China Sea arbitration" violates fundamental principles of international law.

This comes after 14 nations including the US and Japan released a joint statement on the tenth anniversary of the ruling.

The ministry slams certain countries' hype over the so-called "Arbitral Award", and stresses China does not accept any imposed solution with respect to territorial issues and maritime delimitation disputes.

Ten years after the issuance of a decision by an international arbitration tribunal which rejects Beijing's maritime rights over nearly the entire South China Sea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes in a statement Sunday that the decision breaches principles of international law such as "state consent" and "agreements must be kept," contravenes the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and, more importantly, runs counter to the basic facts of the South China Sea.

The ministry debunks the arbitration as nothing but a worthless piece of paper that is "illegal, null and void, and has no binding force."

The statement points out China is the first to have continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Nanhai Zhudao and relevant waters, adding the country's territorial sovereignty as well as its maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall not be affected by the so-called "arbitration award" under any circumstances.

It says China remains steadfast in maintaining peace and stability while the US and other countries have been persistently reinforcing military presence in the region and fanning the flames.

Shedding light on China's historic rights in the South China Sea, a documentary premiered Thursday on state broadcaster CGTN decodes how ancient fishermen in Hainan Province navigated their way with handwritten manual known as the "Genglubu" before GPS.

A scholar says the fishermen had been working these waters prior to Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas in Ming Dynasty more than 600 years from now.

Just a simple line could guide a boat across open water: "From Tanmen port to the Xisha Island's Zhaoshu, follow the direction of the Qian, Sun, which is northwestward; it covers a distance of some 150 nautical miles."

Passed down for generations, these old manuscripts of words and sketches recorded compass bearings, sailing distances, and routes extending to Southeast Asia, forming an integral part of China's maritime system.

{Danni Zhou TVB News}

{Foreign Ministry reaffirms China's territorial claims in South China Sea in statement}

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