Fourteen Nations, EU Reaffirm 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Ruling

The United States, the United Kingdom, and 12 other countries reaffirmed on Sunday that China's expansive claims in the South China Sea have no legal basis under the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling, according to an Associated Press (AP) report published on the ruling's 10th anniversary.

Countries have reaffirmed the 2016 international arbitration ruling on maritime claims. (Photo: Xinhua)

In a joint statement, the 14 countries rejected what they described as "destabilizing" actions in the disputed waters that threaten regional peace and stability.

Separately, the European Union (EU) issued a statement describing the arbitration award as a "landmark decision in the peaceful settlement of disputes."

Both statements marked the 10th anniversary of the July 12, 2016 decision issued by an arbitral tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which found that China's sweeping maritime claims had no legal basis under international law.

China reiterated on Sunday that the ruling is "null and void" and has "no binding force," maintaining that it neither accepts nor recognizes the tribunal's decision.

Beijing refused to participate in the arbitration initiated by the Philippines in 2013 following the 2012 standoff at Scarborough Shoal. China has continued to reject the ruling while asserting claims over most of the South China Sea.