‘Nothing more than a piece of paper’: former Chinese envoy dismisses upcoming ruling on 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
Senior Chinese diplomats have ramped up efforts to discredit the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ahead of a decision next week that is expected to go against China.
While calling for a peaceful resolution, Dai Bingguo, a former state councillor and top diplomat, dismissed the expected ruling on the South China Sea as just “a piece of paper” and said China would not be intimidated even if the United States sent 10 aircraft carriers to the disputed waters.
The final award of the arbitration, which will come out in the next few days, amounts to nothing more than a piece of paper
“The final award of the arbitration, which will come out in the next few days, amounts to nothing more than a piece of paper,” Dai said on Tuesday at a forum held by US and Chinese think tanks in Washington.
The disputes should not be allowed to define Sino-US relations, he said, calling on both nations to manage their differences constructively.
“China is willing to maintain communication with the US on maritime issues and work with the US and all other parties to keep the situation under control,” he said.
China has refused to take part in the international court proceedings, saying the disputes should be settled by direct talks between the nations involved.