China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations. The statement was the strongest response from the Philippines to Tuesday's verdict which declared that China's claims to the resource-rich and strategically vital South China Sea had no legal basis. In his first comments immediately after the ruling, Yasay said the Philippines welcomed the decision but he did not urge China to respect or abide by it. The Philippines has urged Beijing to respect an international tribunal's ruling that rejected Chinese claims to most of the South China Sea, while a former United States naval chief has said the US should be willing to use military force to oppose Chinese aggression in the region. A statement from the Philippines' Foreign Affairs Department said Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay would also discuss the ruling with China at the two-day Asia-Europe summit, known as Asem, starting today in Mongolia.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 14, 2016 17:03 UTC