With a ruling on the South China Sea dispute between the Philippines and China expected in the next few weeks, China pleaded its case against the Philippines by placing an advertisement in a Canadian newspaper.

The Vancouver Chinese consulate took out the ad in the Globe and Mail newspaper last weekend as part of an international public relations push to gain support for the country's territorial claims in the South China Sea.

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The ad was a half-page of text and was titled "The South China Sea Arbitration Case Initiated by the Philippines Violates International Law."

The statement argued that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) "has no jurisdiction over this matter" because "territorial disputes concerning islands and reefs should be covered by the general international law."

In closing, the ad said the Philippines' case against China "is a typical abuse of compulsory arbitral procedures stipulated in the UNCLOS."

The two countries are awaiting a decision from the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.

One reason for China's public relation push may be the government does not feel confident that the ruling will be in their favor.

Euan Graham, a director at Australia's Lowy Institute for International Policy, told the New York Times that the Hague's ruling "is likely to go predominantly the Philippines' way."

In the meantime, China has continued to build its presence on the disputed islands. Earlier this month satellite pictures of the Spratly islands showed that developments include sports complexes.

Running tracks and basketball and tennis courts appeared on Mischief Reef and Fiery Cross Reef.

Other countries have criticized China for its artificial island construction, and head of the US Pacific Command, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., called the construction efforts the "Great Wall of Sand."

TagsChina-Philippine South China Sea Dispute, South China Sea, spratly islands, Mischief Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Permanent Court of Arbitration, unclos, China newspaper ad, china, Philippines