South China Sea ruling slammed as illegal, invalid

Experts have called the ruling awarded in 2016 by the so-called South China Sea Arbitration Tribunal illegal and invalid from the outset, saying that it contradicted historical facts, undermined international law, and was driven by political manipulation.

Their remarks came on Thursday during a seminar hosted by Dalian Maritime University in Dalian, Liaoning province, to analyze the irrationality and illegality of the arbitration case, which was unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.

On July 12, 2016, the tribunal rejected China's right to territorial sovereignty and ruled that it has no historical rights over the South China Sea.