Russian scholars underscore legal value of PCA’s ruling
The Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling that rejected China’s irrational claim over 80 percent of the East Sea held great significance in the legal process in the area, according to a thematic report by two Russian scholars.
Moscow (VNA) – The Permanent Court of Arbitration’s2016 ruling that rejected China’s irrational claim over 80 percent of the EastSea held great significance in the legal process in the area, according to athematic report by two Russian scholars.
The report by Dr. Alexander Korolev and Dr. IrinaStrelnikova was recently announced by the Higher School of Economics ofRussia’s Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies.
The scholars wrote that the ruling is based on standards andprinciples of international law. They also underscored a need to abide by rulesand principles in disputed areas in line with the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The 18-page report said all claims of China related to“historic right” over the East Sea do not hold any legal value.
Analysing the complicated situation in the East Sea, the authorshailed several ASEAN member states for offering initiatives to address the disputes.They also highlighted the importance of solidarity and unity in ASEAN and itscentral role in ensuring regional security.
Commenting on the PCA’s ruling, Vietnamese ForeignMinistry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said Vietnam’s stance on the settlementof disputes in the East Sea is clear and consistent. Accordingly, Vietnamalways supports the settlement of disputes regarding sovereignty, sovereignrights and jurisdiction over the East Sea via diplomatic and legal processes,without the use of force or threat to use force, and via peaceful means inaccordance with the UN Charter and the 1982 UNCLOS.
As a UNCLOS signatory and a coastal nation to the EastSea, Vietnam asks all parties concerned to respect and fulfill legal obligationsas stipulated in the UNCLOS, as well as work closely together to make activeand practical contributions to maintaining peace, stability, security, maritimeand aviation safety and freedom, and order in the East Sea based oninternational law, she said./.
Vietnam’s stance on the settlement of disputes in the East Sea is clear and consistent, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang on July 12.
The international community has continuously called on parties concerned to follow international practices and rules, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) amid the complicated developments in the East Sea.
Dr Gerhard Will, a German expert on the East Sea, stressed that the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)’s ruling on the Philippines’ lawsuit against China holds a solid legal basis and high value in the settlement of disputes in the East Sea.
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At a naval training session at sea (Photo: VNA) 
