China has refused to recognize last week's ruling by an arbitration court in The Hague, which invalidated its vast claims in the South China Sea. Vietnam has said that it welcomed an arbitration court in The Hague delivering a verdict over the South China SeaVietnam dismissed as "untruthful" reports carried in Chinese state media that said its prime minister respected China's stance on an arbitration ruling over the South China Sea. The reports backed up a statement by China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday, which also quoted Phuc saying Vietnam "respect's China's position" on the arbitration. Vietnam "declares it refutes untruthful coverage by Chinese media regarding the East Sea issue from the meeting" between Phuc and Li, the government said, using the Vietnamese term for the South China Sea. Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the sidelines of a summit of Asian and European leaders in Ulanbaatar last week.

Source: Thanhnien News July 19, 2016 05:26 UTC