14 countries again back 2016 South China Sea ruling

Japan, the Philippines, the United States and 11 other countries again backed the 12 July 2016 arbitral ruling that rejected China’s sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea. In a joint statement on Sunday, the 14 countries described the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in The Hague as a key milestone that is final and binding on China and the Philippines over the disputed maritime rights and claims. The statement said maritime disputes must be settled peacefully in line with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS. It also rejected destabilizing or unilateral actions, including the use of force and coercion, which it said threaten peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Beijing has rejected the ruling from the start, while clashes involving Chinese and Philippine vessels in disputed waters have continued in recent years.