Ten years after the 2016 ruling on the South China Sea, one question still stands: can international law stop powerful states like China from ignoring the rules?
In 2016, a United Nations-backed tribunal ruled clearly that China’s “nine-dash line” has no legal basis under international law. The decision was final and binding. It strongly affirmed the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Yet years later, Chinese coast guard and maritime vessels continue to operate aggressively in the area. These include patrols, water cannon incidents, and pressure on Filipino fishermen and supply boats. The gap between law and reality has become the central issue.
If the law is clear, why is China still able to challenge it?
The 2016 Ruling That China Ignores
The case began in 2013 when the Philippines brought China to arbitration under UNCLOS, the global treaty that governs the seas.
In July 2016, the tribunal ruled in
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