What are so-called‘eight facts’of the Philippines? (2)

In the statement above and a series of other claims about the South China Sea issue, the Philippines has repeatedly claimed that it has “exhausted all political and diplomatic means".

One major reason for the Philippines taking this position is that article 286 of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea prescribes that sea dispute can be submitted to international arbitration only when dialogue between the two sides has reached an impasse. In order to create a pretext to justify international arbitration, the Philippines has arbitrarily brought to an end all dialogue between the two sides.

The fact is that China has never closed the door to negotiations with the Philippines. China has communicated with the Philippines on the South China Sea disputes and agreed to reach consensus through step-by-step negotiation, with a view to resolving the dispute by amicable means. Indeed, the two sides had succeeded in establishing constructive cooperation on the South China Sea waters and marine seismic work by the start of the 21st century. In March 2010 and in January 2012, China proposed the "Sino-Philippines Issue Regular Consultation Mechanism At Sea” and reinstated the “Sino-Philippines’ Confidence-Building Mechanism ".

Subsequent misjudgments of the situation have led the Philippines to provoke repeated conflicts on the issue of Huangyan Island , while in terms of improving relations with China and defusing the situation in the South China Sea, there has been little evidence of Philippine action.

The Philippines have refused diplomatic contacts with China on more than one occasion, and have now issued a statement describing bilateral discussions with China as "impossible” and rejecting any further diplomatic negotiations. The Philippine side's words and deeds clearly violate the agreement reached with China, and also breach the commitments contained in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. Their position will obviously be rejected and opposed by China.

The Philippines strategy of piecing together its so-called "eight facts" is unlikely to bear fruit.

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