China on Sunday blasted a US-led coalition that marked the 10-year anniversary of an international arbitration ruling rejecting Beijing’s claim over vast portions of the South China Sea.
The group of 14 nations, which includes Japan and the Philippines, opposed “any destabilizing or unilateral actions” that threaten regional stability; China reiterated its rejection of the ruling, while state media dismissed the joint statement as “a piece of waste paper.”
The fierce rhetorical clash was a reminder of how China’s assertion of sovereignty over islands, rock features, and waters in the sea continues to hang over regional and global politics.
China’s ambassador to the Philippines called it a “thorn” in the side of the countries’ relationship.