China’s disregard for international water laws lead to worsening of ties with countries in South China Sea
China’s brazen disregard for international water laws has finally severed its ties with neighboring countries in the South China Sea. The Philippines has publicly called on China to comply with the 2016 arbitral ruling which had ruled that China has no “historic rights over the waters of the South China Sea”.“Compliance in good faith with the award would be consistent with the obligations of the Philippines and China under international law, including UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) to which both parties are signatories,” Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in a statement.Indonesia has also decided to conduct exercises in the vicinity of the Riau Islands.Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected China’s claims of having “historical rights” in the