Tensions in the South China Sea continue to rise as implementation of the historic 2016 arbitration ruling remains unfulfilled even after a decade. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague dismissed China’s expansive maritime claims, affirming the Philippines’ sovereign rights. While China has rejected the ruling, 14 countries including the United States recognize it as legally binding and final.
The dispute over the South China Sea has persisted for decades. It dates back to 1947 when China’s then-nationalist government first published a map showing eleven dashed lines. This evolved into the so-called “Nine-Dash Line,” which is not a continuous border but connects nine separate dashes, encompassing roughly 3.5 million square kilometers—about 90% of the South China Sea.
According to Philippine Solicitor General Darlin Marie Berberabe, the 2016 ruling legally affirmed the Philippines’ fishing rights in its coastal areas. This has heightened tensions and led to increased clashes between Philippine and Chinese vessels. On July 12, 2026, marking the tenth anniversary of the arbitration ruling, the Philippines, along with 14 countries including the United States, issued a joint statement reaffirming the ruling’s legal binding nature and finality.
In response, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly criticized these commemorations by certain countries, accusing the ruling of violating international law and exacerbating tensions rather than resolving the dispute. Chen Xiangmiao, a researcher at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, supported by China’s Ministry of Home Affairs, emphasized that goodwill and cooperation are necessary for a resolution to the dispute.
