A coalition of 14 nations including the United States, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on Sunday reaffirming the legal binding force of the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, marking the decision's 10th anniversary. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled on July 12, 2016 that China's expansive maritime claims within its so-called nine-dash line had no legal basis under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The joint statement, whose signatories also include Canada, Germany, Italy, and New Zealand, opposed destabilising or unilateral actions, including threats to peace through force or coercion. Beijing rejected participation in the original proceedings and dismissed the ruling as invalid. On the anniversary, the Chinese embassy in Manila reiterated sovereignty over all South China Sea island groups, while the Philippine Coast Guard sounded its horn ten times in commemoration.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for the island's inclusion in any multilateral discussions on South China Sea conduct, outlining principles for peaceful dispute resolution and joint development anchored on its garrisoned Taiping Island.