‘Just a piece of trash paper’: former Chinese envoy dismisses upcoming ruling on nation’s South China Sea claims
China will not be intimated even if US sends 10 aircraft carriers to region, says Dai Bingguo amid rising tensions over rival territorial claims to disputed waters
Catherine Wong, Wednesday, 06 July, 2016, 10:42am
An international court ruling on China’s claims in the South China, due to be delivered next week, has been dismissed by a former top Chinese diplomat as a “piece of trash paper”.
Dai Bingguo, a former State Councillor and top diplomat in Washington, also said China would not be intimidated even if the US sent 10 aircraft carriers to patrol in the disputed waters.
Dai made his comments during a forum held by US and Chinese think tanks in Washington on Tuesday.
“Just deliver the ruling. It’s no big deal. Just a piece of trash paper,” said Dai.
His comments were made as China steps up its rhetoric against the ruling due to be delivered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague next Tuesday.
China has refused to take part in the proceedings saying the tribunal has no jurisdiction in the matter.
It argues that territorial disputes in the region should be settled by direct negotiations between the two nations involved.
The case was brought by the Philippines, a rival claimant to the disputed waters.
Dai blamed “certain countries” for taking advantage of the power play between China and the US, escalating tension in the region.
The US has carried out a series of patrols in the South China Sea over the past year to exercise its right to freedom of navigation in “international waters”.
“We Chinese would not be intimidated by the US actions, not even if the US sent all the ten aircraft carriers to the South China Sea,” said Dai.
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China is firm about its territorial sovereignty and will not accept solutions offered by a third party after enduring abuse and humiliation by Western powers during its history, he said.
Dai reiterated China’s call for an immediate halt to the hearings by the international court.
“No one, nor any countries, should enforce the ruling of an illegitimate trial and force China to implement the ruling. In particular, we have to strictly forbid the Philippines from taking any hostile actions,” said Dai. “Otherwise, China won’t just sit and watch.”