South China Sea: meet the man who stared down ChinaGETTY IMAGES Dr Thomas Mensah chaired the tribunal's landmark decision. It has ruled Beijing's dredging of sand and rocks to build artificial islands for airstrips and military bases in the South China Sea is a breach of environmental obligations. Thomas Mensah hails from the west African nation of Ghana, a long, long way from the warships and artificial islands now crowding the disputed waters of the South China Sea. READ MORE:* China v the world: Hostilities intensify* China calls Tribunal's ruling on expansive South China Sea claims a 'farce'* NZ calls on all parties to respect ruling* High stakes on the high seas: Philippines v China at The HagueAL JAZEERA Victor Gao, director of the China National Association of International Studies and the arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruling over the South China Sea. Dr Mensah was made president of a five man tribunal to decide the Philippines case against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Source: Stuff July 13, 2016 06:45 UTC