Judges at an arbitration tribunal in
The Hague on Tuesday rejected China's claims to economic rights across large
swathes of the South China Sea in a ruling that will be claimed as a victory by
the Philippines.
"There was no legal basis for China to claim
historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash
line'," the court said, referring to a demarcation line on a 1947 map of
the sea, which is rich in energy, mineral and fishing resources.
In the 497-page ruling, judges also found that Chinese
law enforcement patrols had risked colliding with Philippine fishing vessels in
parts of the sea and caused irreparable damage to coral reefs with construction
work.
China, which boycotted the case brought by the
Philippines, has said it will not be bound by any ruling.
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