Foreign ministry dismisses tribunal ruling on South China Sea case

The Foreign Ministry on Friday dismissed a ruling by an international arbitration tribunal that it has jurisdiction to take a case concerning islands in the South China Sea, saying it is null and avoid.

The ministry said in a statement released on its website that the ruling, by the tribunal based in The Hague, has no binding effect on China.

"China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters," it said.

The tribunal, established at the request of the Philippines, ruled on Thursday that it has jurisdiction concerning islands in the South China Sea.

"China's sovereignty and relevant rights in the South China Sea ... have been upheld by successive Chinese governments, reaffirmed by China's domestic laws on many occasions, and protected under international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," the statement said.

"With regard to territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China will not accept any solution imposed on it or any unilateral resort to a third-party dispute settlement," it said.