China slams so-called South China Sea arbitration as political farce

China

China slams so-called South China Sea arbitration as political farce

2026-07-14 17:19 Last Updated At：21:17

The so-called South China Sea arbitration award issued in 2016 is nothing but a political farce cloaked in legal garb, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.

Lin made the remarks in response to a media query regarding the Roundtable Dialogue on South China Sea Security held in the Hong Kong Special Administrative region on Monday. At that dialogue, a representative from the Chinese Foreign Ministry once again refuted the fallacies surrounding the "arbitration award".

"Just as what the Foreign Ministry delegate said at the Roundtable Dialogue on South China Sea Security, the 'arbitration' is in essence a political farce masqueraded as a legal process. A decade ago, the 'arbitral tribunal' exceeded its authority and abused its jurisdiction. The 'award' it rendered is illegal, null and void. Over the past decade, more and more farsighted people have become clear-eyed about the nature of the 'arbitration.' The practice of many countries, as well as the way international judicial bodies have dealt with relevant cases, also differs from the 'award.' By neither accepting nor participating in the 'arbitration,' and by neither accepting nor recognizing the 'award,' China is upholding the international rule of law and maritime order with concrete actions," said Lin.

"The illegal 'award' will by no means change the history and facts that China exercises sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction on Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands) and its adjacent waters, will by no means shake China's resolve and will to safeguard sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and will by no means influence China's policy and position that relevant disputes shall be solved by negotiation and consultation between parties directly concerned. China will continue working with countries in the region for the peace and security in the South China Sea as well as the prosperity and development in the region," he said.

Northeast China's Jilin steps up flood control as Typhoon Bavi brings heavy rain

Flood control and disaster relief teams are stepping up efforts in Piaohe Township, Jiaohe City, in northeast China’s Jilin Province as Typhoon Bavi moves northward, bringing intense rainfall across the region.

Typhoon Bavi, the ninth of the year, made landfall twice along the coast of east China's Zhejiang Province at 23:20 Saturday and again around midnight, then moved inland. It is the second typhoon this month following Typhoon Maysak, which brought heavy floods and wreaked havoc in southern China.

Piaohe Township, located in the southeastern part of Jiaohe City, is among the hardest-hit areas. The township is particularly vulnerable due to converging water flows from the upstream Baishishan and Pihe River basins. To cope with the heavy downpour, more than 440 emergency personnel in the township have been deployed to prevent flood and evacuate residents from affected areas to safer locations.

The continuous rainfall has pushed water levels of Piaohe and Qingbei rivers flowing through the township to exceed warning thresholds, posing dangers of flash floods, landslides, and mudslides.

"We have activated 24-hour duty shifts, with inspections of rainfall conditions and potential hazards conducted every two hours. We are making effort to evacuate residents along the Piaohe River and Qingbei (river) basins to ensure their safety," said Zhang Peng, secretary of the Communist Party of China branch of Piaohe Township.

According to the Jiaohe City's Flood Control and Drought Relief Department, the cumulative rainfall in the City has reached 156.7 mm as of 15:00 on Tuesday.

Local authorities have coordinated efforts across multiple departments to promptly inspect and repair damaged roads and embankments, aiming to minimize the risk of river flooding.