MANILA, Philippines- Nananatiling matatag ang Tsina na balewalain ang legalidad ng 2016 arbitral ruling na nagpatibay sa exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng Pilipinas sa South China Sea, tinawag na “illegal” at “invalid’ ang nasabing hatol.
Sinabi ng tagapagsalita ng China Embassy sa Pilipinas na nakisali ang Pilipinas sa ibang bansa sa “ganging up” laban sa Tsina ukol sa maritime row sa pagitan ng dalawang bansa.
“The Philippine side clings onto this illegal, invalid arbitral award at the expense of its relations with China. By aligning itself with the US and some other Western countries on the South China Sea issue, the Philippines joined the small circle of the West ganging up against China,” ayon sa kalatas ng China Embassy.
“To cling to this position and the arbitral award will get the Philippines nowhere but farther and farther away from the right path,” ang nakasaad pa rin sa kalatas.
Araw ng Biyernes, Hulyo 12, ginunita ng Pilipinas, ang ‘landmark ruling’ walong taon na ang nakalilipas nang igawad ng international arbitration tribunal sa The Hague, sinasabing mananatili ang bansa na ‘committed’ sa rule of law at mapayapang pag-aayos ng alitan sa South China Sea.
Kinilala naman ng Pilipinas ang suporta ng international community kabilang na ng Group of Seven (binubuo ng Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, at Estados Unidos ), at International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
Gayunman, iginiit ng Tsina na kasalanan ng Pilipinas ang umiigting na tensyon sa pinagtatalunang katubigan.
“The said arbitration is essentially a political circus dressed up as a legal action,” ang sinabi pa rin ng tagapagsalita ng Chinese Embassy.
“The Philippines breached the common understandings with China on resolving the disputes in the South China Sea through consultation and negotiation, violated the article of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) which states that the disputes should be settled through peaceful means including consultations and negotiations between sovereign states directly concerned,” wika ng tagapagsalita ng Chinese Embassy. Kris Jose
