More countries affirm West PH Sea ruling as legally binding – Stratbase

MANILA, Philippines — International support for the 2016 Arbitral Award on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has grown, with 18 governments strengthening their official positions by explicitly recognizing the ruling as legally binding, according to the Stratbase Institute.

In a press release on Monday, Stratbase said the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative’s data showed that 27 countries had expressed support for the Philippines on the WPS between late 2022 and 2026.

The think tank said countries including France, South Korea, and Norway had strengthened their positions by explicitly recognizing the ruling as legally binding.READ: PH, allies affirm arbitral ruling in joint statement

Another 17 countries issued generally positive statements acknowledging the ruling but stopped short of explicitly calling on the parties involved to comply with it.

Only eight countries have rejected the ruling, including China, which has called it “illegal, null, and void.”

Stratbase Institute President Victor Andres Manhit noted the international community’s growing resolve amid rising tensions in the WPS, citing the participation of representatives from 26 foreign missions at the institute’s recent forum in Makati marking the 10th anniversary of the arbitral ruling.

“By celebrating the milestone anniversary with the Philippines, these partners are ensuring that the 2016 Arbitral Award remains a living document that defines the future of a free, open, and stable Indo-Pacific,” Manhit said at the forum.

READ: SBMA chief hails West PH Sea arbitral ruling as ‘beacon of hope’

The forum was headlined by ambassadors from Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, all of whom affirmed their support for the arbitral ruling.

Also present were chiefs of mission from the United States, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Ireland, Israel, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Slovenia, and Austria.

Foreign missions from Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Italy, and Thailand were also represented at the forum.

The ambassadors and representatives affirmed their recognition of the arbitral ruling as a basis for peaceful dispute resolution and opposed actions that could undermine regional stability.

The Stratbase Institute said the expanding international recognition of the arbitral award had also led to concrete initiatives, including Australia’s planned defense cooperation agreement with the Philippines and the United Kingdom’s negotiations for a Visiting Forces Agreement.

The think tank said participating countries continued to support the arbitral ruling as a basis for peaceful dispute resolution and opposed actions that threaten regional stability. (Rendell Ivan Manuel/INQUIRER.net trainee) /dl