The parties concerned should display their responsibility in abiding by international law, specifically upholding the supremacy of the rule of law in the East Sea. Every extreme reaction or activities defying international law will fuel tensions and complicate the situation. Clearly, the PCA’s ruling on the basis of the UNCLOS has affirmed the role of international law in dealing with disputes through peaceful measures, thus contributing to avoiding the use of armed forces. PCA’s ruling: International law must be respectedThe final ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, the Netherlands on July 12 on the Philippines’s lawsuit against China’s claims in the East Sea is considered an important milestone in efforts to settle disputes in the waters through peaceful measures in line with international law. Therefore, the PCA’s ruling serves a legal foundation to confirm that China’s “nine-dash line” is totally baseless.

Source: VietNamNet News July 14, 2016 11:03 UTC