Philippine President: Talks should be based on Hague ruling

In his speech at the 10th anniversary of celebration of the East Mindanao Command in Davao city on August 27, the President said he stressed this point during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua, who flew in to Davao to talk with him.

The Philippines will prepare for all possibilities if bilateral talks with China fail, he said, affirming added funds to increase the number of soldiers for the army.

Earlier on August 24, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Beijing is ready to talk with Manila.

On July 12, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the Netherlands, issued a ruling on the case brought by the Philippines against China’s nine-dash line claim in the East Sea, saying China’s claims to historic rights for waters within the nine-dash line are contrary to the 1982 UNCLOS. 

The Hague Tribunal also found no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the nine-dash line. 

The country has no historic title over waters of the East Sea. At the same time, China has caused permanent and irreparable harm to the coral reef ecosystem on the Truong Sa archipelago, the court said.