China Shoots Down Proposal for UN Mediation in Maritime Dispute

China has officially rejected the Philippines’ effort to seek international arbitration over conflicting claims to territory in the South China Sea.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that the proposal was not only historically incorrect, it was also not legal. They also claimed that there were numerous offensive accusations against China in the proposal.

However, the Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Department said that China’s denial would not interfere with the mediation.

If a tribunal ruled against China, the country could still choose to ignore the ruling.

The Philippines announced its plan to take the dispute to a tribunal under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea last month. It wants the panel to declare Beijing’s moves in the potentially resource-rich waters unauthorized.