14 Nations Mark 10th Anniversary of South China Sea Arbitral Award; China Rejects Ruling as 'Null and Void'

On the 10th anniversary of the July 12, 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that rejected China's expansive 'nine-dash line' claims, the Philippines and 13 other countries (United States, Australia, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Romania, Slovenia, United Kingdom) plus the European Union issued a joint statement reaffirming the award as 'final, legally binding, and definitive.' Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. joined law enforcement institutions and thousands of Filipinos in a National Peace Walk to the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, culminating in a synchronized tribute of vehicle horns, church bells, and ship horns. Teodoro said Manila's strategy is to 'implement it ourselves,' calling China's nine-dash line 'false.' Stratbase President Manhit cited polling showing 86% of Filipinos support the government's WPS defense efforts. China's Foreign Ministry rejected the ruling as 'null and void,' saying Beijing 'does not accept any means of third-party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China.' ASEAN as a bloc declined to join the joint statement.