China continues to defend its maritime claims in the South China Sea. Now, Beijing says that regardless of its decision, the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the territorial case filed by the Philippines against China will be 'illegal.'

"Those who expect that the arbitration could compel China to yield are doomed to be disillusioned. The arbitration is illegal and invalid whatever it will be. China will reject and will never acknowledge it," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters at a press briefing on Friday.

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Hong's statement comes on the heels of an impending ruling by the arbitration tribunal in the Hague on the Philippines' territorial case against China.

The verdict is expected to be against China. Beijing has since questioned the tribunal's legality and refused to recognize its jurisdiction saying the case does not fall within the purview of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Territorial Sovereignty

Hong said Beijing continues to uphold its sovereignty in its territories in the disputed waters while complying with the provisions of international law, particularly, the UNCLOS.

"China is rock-firm on safeguarding the international rule of law and the integrity and sanctity of UNCLOS," he said.

China and the Philippines have been trading barbs over the issue of who owns the Scarborough Shoal, located a little more than 100 miles (160km) from the Philippines and 500 miles from China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry official Ouyang Yujing has said that the Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands belong to China based on the provisions of three previous international treaties.

The rule of law

"The core of the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines is that the latter is attempting to harm China's interests in the Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands). China firmly opposes a certain country's taking hostage the international rule of law for its own selfish gains. They are violating the law under the guise of the 'rule of law,' and China won't accept any of these acts," Ouyang said.

China is claiming ownership of a large portion of the South China Sea, according to its nine-dash line. Beijing has insisted that its ownership of the islands and reefs dates back to ancient times when the entire region belonged to China.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei have overlapping claims in the disputed waters where $5 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes through every year. 

TagsPermanent Court of Arbitration, unclos, nine dash line, Philippines, Hague court, china