China Ignores Hague Ruling... Paracel Islands Are Chinese Territory

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruling 5 years ago was a political manipulation by the US
Pro-American Filipino politicians allegedly pressure President Duterte ahead of next year's presidential election

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] China strongly protested against the unauthorized intrusion of a U.S. destroyer into the Paracel Islands (Chinese name: Xisha Qundao, Vietnamese name: Hoang Sa Qundao) in the South China Sea without China's permission. Chinese military authorities explained that the U.S. destroyer deliberately violated Chinese territorial waters in accordance with the ruling date of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague.

On the 13th, Global Times cited the announcement from the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese military, reporting that the U.S. destroyer USS Benford intruded into the Xisha Qundao waters, which are Chinese territorial waters, without the approval of the Chinese government.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Chinese military authorities stated that the Xisha Qundao is China's inherent territory, and that the People's Liberation Army Navy and Air Force tracked, monitored, and issued warning broadcasts to the USS Benford. They condemned the U.S. actions as violations of China's sovereignty and security, destruction of peace and stability in the South China Sea, and breaches of international law and norms of international relations. The Chinese military emphasized that the U.S. must immediately cease provocative acts and that the People's Liberation Army maintains a high level of vigilance to protect national sovereignty and peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Global Times pointed to the United States as the force behind the PCA ruling on the South China Sea. This ruling dates back to 2014. When China asserted sovereignty over the South China Sea, the Philippines filed a case with the PCA in The Hague. In July 2016, the PCA ruled that China's claims of historic rights over the islands in the South China Sea had no legal basis, that the disputed waters fall within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, and that China was infringing on Philippine sovereignty. The court also expressed concerns about environmental damage caused by China's construction of military bases in the area.

Chen Xiangmiao, a research fellow at the South China Sea Research Institute, stated, "The PCA ruling was a political manipulation led by the U.S. and Western powers," adding, "This ruling is being used as a tool to contain and slander China." He further explained that the Western camp exaggerates the ruling, portraying China as the 'destroyer' and the U.S. as the 'protector.'

Jiang Junxue, a senior researcher at the People's Liberation Army Navy Maritime Research Institute, said, "The U.S. continues provocations under the name of 'freedom of navigation,'" and evaluated that the tracking, monitoring, and warnings issued to the USS Benford demonstrate the PLA's strong determination to protect China's sovereignty and security.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also joined in regarding sovereignty over the Xisha Qundao. Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, criticized the U.S., saying, "Deliberately stirring up territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea to sow discord among regional countries and destroy regional peace and stability is extremely irresponsible." He asserted, "China's sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea are based on a long history and sufficient historical and legal grounds." He also stated, "This year alone, the U.S. military has conducted over 2,000 close reconnaissance flights and more than 20 maritime military exercises in the South China Sea," describing this as an unfiltered display of U.S. hegemonic behavior.

China's claims are interpreted as a refusal to accept the PCA ruling as a prerequisite for resolving the South China Sea issue.

Global Times reported that since the ruling, relations between China and the Philippines have developed healthily and the situation in the South China Sea has steadily improved, attributing this not to the ruling but to reasonable policy agreements between the Chinese and Philippine governments regarding the South China Sea.

The media further claimed that some Philippine politicians are pressuring President Rodrigo Duterte ahead of next year's presidential election to gain support from pro-U.S. and anti-China forces.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.