China will not get copies of SCS tribunal verdict: official

Hours ahead of the international tribunal's verdict on the Philippines' petition challenging China's claims in the disputed South China Sea, Beijing today said it will not recognise the decision nor will it receive copies of the judgement.
"It is true that we do not recognise and accept the so called arbitration. We will have no legal connection with the arbitral tribunal and we will not accept whatever materials it provides," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told media here as the five-member tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration is set to deliver its judgment today.
He was responding to a question on whether China will receive the judgement copies which the tribunal said will be provided to the concerned parties early before releasing it to the media.

China has boycotted the tribunal ever since Philippines filed the petition in The Hague international court.
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Asked whether China will give its reaction after the

tribunal delivered its verdict, Lu said, "We will not have any legal connection with the arbitral tribunal because from the very beginning we have not recognised this illegal organ".
On how the verdict would impact the SCS dispute in the region, Lu said the arbitration case was unilaterally initiated by former Philippines president Benigno Aquino's administration in 2013. "The Chinese side has already expressed its position clearly three years ago," he said.

"The so called arbitral tribunal was built on the illegalities and illegal application. Its existence has no legal ground and the award whatever it is invalid," he said.
"On the effects of the arbitration, if the so called award will result in rise of tension in the relevant region, it will not serve the common interest of the parties of the region," he said.
"As for how it effect China's policy, I cannot see any effect. China's relevant policy will remain unchanged. We will stick to resolving the relevant disputes with parties concerned with negotiations and consultation and work together with ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries to maintain peace and stability of SCS and the dual track approach of China will remain unchanged," he said.

"But at the same time if any one challenges China's interests by siding with the award of the arbitration then China will take solemn response," he said.
To a question whether China will have any dialogue with the Philippines after the award, he said "China and the Philippines have good relations over a long period of time. Our bilateral ties have encountered some difficulties in recent times".
"On China's part we are willing to maintain peaceful, mutually beneficial relationship will all our neighbouring countries including the Philippines," he said.
"We have noted the new Philippines government has expressed willingness to hold dialogue with China in a bid to promote common development and properly manage dispute between the two sides. Our door to that is widely open," he said.

Lu also lashed out at the US for stirring trouble in the SCS region with its Asia Pacific rebalance strategy.
"Before the implementation of the so called rebalance to Asia Pacific by the US, the SCS is very tranquil and peaceful. Then comes the Americans and their policy of rebalance to Asia and since then things have changed," he said.
Before the rebalance was implemented there were disputes between the relevant parties in the SCS but they could be properly managed and maintained peaceful situation," he said.
"The US poses itself as guardian of the maritime rule of
law but refuses to approve the UN Convention on Law of Seas, (UNCLOS) 34 years after it was reached. It asks the other parties to accept the third party approach for dispute settlement but even refuses to accept the order and judgement by the supreme judicial organ of the UN which is international court of justice," he said.

"Its action severely erodes the authority, sanctity and effectiveness of the international law. It is very dangerous and the international community should be on high alert against that," Lu said.
Asked about the report that China may pull out of the UNCLOS as the tribunal was constituted based on it, Lu said, "I do not know where did you see that".
"Ever since China approved UNCLOS in 1976, we have been loyal party to UNCLOS and we uphold it with faithful observance. We have to say that we should maintain the authority of the UNCLOS no matter what instead of making selective use of it based on the likes and dislikes and or even violate the clause of the UNCLOS," he said.