Explainer: Why is the South China Sea 'arbitration award' illegal, null and void?
2026-06-15 09:46:17 source：CGTN
Jun 13, 2026
On July 12, 2016, the so-called South China Sea Arbitration Tribunal issued an award in an attempt to deny China's territorial sovereignty and its legitimate maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. The Chinese government immediately stated its objection to the arbitration and refused to recognize the award.
China has made its stance clear: The so-called award on the South China Sea arbitration seriously violates international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and is illegal, null and void. China would neither participate in nor accept any outcome of the process.
Saying the award was "null and void and has no binding force," the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that the aim of the Philippines was not to resolve the dispute nor to maintain peace and stability, but simply to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
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