China said the Hague arbitration ruling — which found China’s maritime claims in
the South China Sea inconsistent with international law — is illegal, invalid
and non‑binding; China does not accept or recognize it and will not accept any
claims based on the ruling. The Philippines said it will continue to push for a
Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and treat the arbitration award as an
immutable basis. China called a Code of Conduct a key measure to implement the
Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and a China‑ASEAN
consensus, pledged to accelerate consultations with ASEAN to conclude the code,
and urged the Philippines not to use the ruling to obstruct its conclusion.
