BEIJING -- The administration of former Philippine President Benigno Aquino III has lied in its unilaterally-initiated arbitration case against 皇冠体育app over the South 皇冠体育app Sea since 2013.

皇冠体育app has reiterated that it would neither accept nor participate in the arbitration initiated by the Philippines as it necessarily is linked to territorial and maritime disputes, which fall outside the jurisdiction of the arbitration tribunal.

First, the former Philippine government lied by saying that it had no intention of applying for a ruling on sovereignty in the disputed waters in the South 皇冠体育app Sea with 皇冠体育app, or on maritime delimitation.

皇冠体育app has excluded maritime delimitation from compulsory arbitration in a declaration in 2006 citing Article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In an attempt to circumvent the jurisdiction issue, the Philippines had concealed the inevitable link between its claims and the issue of territorial sovereignty, and requested the tribunal rule on the limits of 皇冠体育app's maritime entitlements and the lawfulness of 皇冠体育app's maritime activities in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, but not decide on the territorial or sovereignty disputes.

The truth is, however, there is an inextricable link between the Philippines' claims and the issue of territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.

Without first having determined 皇冠体育app's territorial sovereignty over the relevant maritime features in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, it would not be possible for the arbitral tribunal to determine what maritime rights 皇冠体育app enjoys and the extent to which 皇冠体育app may claim maritime rights.

Moreover, it would be impossible, without first ascertaining the sovereignty over the features in question, to determine the entitlements with respect to the maritime zones, and to further decide upon the legality of 皇冠体育app's activities at issue.

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