Rep. Salmon Applauds Tribunal Decision on the South China Sea

Statement

Today, Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, released the following statement on a UN tribunal's ruling in matter of The Republic of Philippines v. The People's Republic of China.

"I welcome today's arbitral ruling and once again commend the Philippines for seeking resolution of its claims peacefully and within the accepted international structures for resolving such disputes. Today's ruling provides a definitive resolution to a number of critical questions for the South China Sea claimants. In large part, it confirms what the world already knew--that baseless territorial claims cannot be legitimized by shows of force. The ruling is binding on the parties involved, providing them a critical opportunity to de-escalate tensions in the Sea by bringing their activities in line with its decisions. I urge China to heed the ruling and conduct itself as a leading nation should--by honoring its commitments to settle disputes peacefully under international law and to halt to its militarization of disputed territory in the Sea."

Background: The case was brought by the Philippines to peacefully resolve disputes between the parties over territory in the South China Sea, pursuant to international law. The People's Republic of China has recently been a destabilizing influence in the South China Sea by constructing and militarizing islands atop reefs, over 900 miles from their mainland, and subsequently claiming them as territorial lands to extend maritime claims. The Philippines brought this trial under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both parties are signatories, to resolve the dispute.

Source