MANILA -- The United States vowed to continue working with the Philippines in safeguarding maritime security in the South China Sea (SCS) as the country prepares to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award.
At a reception hosted by the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC on July 8 (US time), Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael George DeSombre said the landmark decision remains the most authoritative basis for peacefully resolving disputes in the South China Sea.
He then emphasized the key role of the Philippines-US alliance in promoting stability in the region.
"Together, we are working to safeguard maritime security in the South China Sea and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. Highlighting the importance of the Arbitral Award is a testament to our shared interests and vision for the Indo-Pacific," he said.
On July 12, 2016, the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention dismissed China's so-called nine-dash line as illegal in the vital sea lane.
The Philippines commemorates the award's 10th anniversary this year under the theme "A Decade Hence: The Enduring Promise of Peaceful Dispute Settlement."
In the same reception, University of the Philippines (UP) Institute for Marine and Law of the Sea Director Jay Batongbacal said the ruling fully galvanized the Philippines' national response to issues in the South China Sea.
"Our people have never been so united around a single foreign policy issue. The Arbitration has become a catalyst for national awareness and national unity, and that shows us the power of this ideal that right is might," he said.
Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby, associate professor at the De La Salle University Department of International Studies, described it as a "legal and moral victory" for the Philippines.
"It bears repeating that in a world of great powers, international law remains a critical tool that small and medium powers like the Philippines can use to protect and advance their national interests," she said.