UN arbitration ruling to hold weight even with China's rejection –Palace

The decision of the United Nation tribunal on the territorial despite between the Philippines and China will hold weight even if Beijing chooses to reject it.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Undersecretary Abigail Valte made this statement on Thursday after a Chinese think tank said China will likely not recognize the ruling on the arbitration case filed by the Philippines against Beijing.

The arbitration case questions China's claims over resource-rich parts of the South China Sea, portions of which Manila calls the West Philippine Sea.

"Tingin ko hindi sya masasayang because we understand that it's the proper tribunal to take our concerns to, to lodge our concerns with. A decision from that will hold weight," Valte told reporters in Malacañang.

She made this statement after the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NICSCSS) said Beijing "will not follow or implement" any decision on the Philippines' arbitration case. It also described the arbitration case as "unilateral and compulsory."

Valte refused to give any further comment on NICSCSS' statements, describing these claims as "hypothetical" at this point.

"I don't want to take that as gospel truth already given the fact that nothing along that line has happened yet," she said.

Last March, the Philippines brought its territorial dispute with China before the Netherlands-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. Beijing, however, has rejected the arbitration proceedings, repeatedly insisting on bilateral talks to settle to issue.

The Philippines claims that the West Philippine Sea is part of its exclusive economic zone under the international law. China, meanwhile, is asserting its historical claim over the area through the so-called Nine-dash line.

Appropriate

Valte further defended President Benigno Aquino III's move to bring up the Philippines' territorial dispute with China during his four-country Europe visit last week.

"It is a concern for a lot of countries, and you've seen the support that the President was able to get from the countries that he was able to visit... 'Yung appropriateness for us is established," she said.

She further said that it was only proper for Aquino to gather support from European leaders on a "major" issue that may affect international trade.

Last week, the European Union expressed support for the Philippines' arbitration case against China after its leader, President Jose Manuel Barroso, met with Aquino in Belgium.

Leaders from Spain, France and Germany also backed the Philippines' effort to settle its territorial dispute with China through international arbitration.

Aquino said in an earlier interview that China "will have to listen" to the EU, which is Beijing's biggest trading partner. —KBK, GMA News