The Department of National Defense on Monday reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to resisting maritime expansionism and upholding international law as it marked the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea.
The DND thanked the Philippines’ partners in the Indo-Pacific and other regions for continuing to support the landmark ruling, which invalidated China’s sweeping maritime claims.
The department stressed that the arbitral tribunal had already ruled in 2016 that China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea were incompatible with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
It added that China’s assertion of so-called “historic rights” had been invalidated by both UNCLOS and the arbitral ruling.
The DND said the Philippines would continue strengthening defense partnerships as a key hub for regional security cooperation while deterring attempts to destabilize the Indo-Pacific through force and intimidation.
Together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the department also renewed its commitment to defending international law, countering the improper use of historical claims, and resisting maritime expansionism in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.