Manila marks 9 years since court win over South China Sea
People in Manila are celebrating the anniversary. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled China had infringed on the Philippines' fishing rights in the waters.
Ambassadors from at least 11 countries, including Japan and the US, attended an event on Friday, showing support for the Philippines.
The foreign secretary of the Philippines, Maria Theresa Lazaro, condemned China, saying it persists with illegal, coercive and aggressive actions.
She said, "Nine years hence, its legitimacy continues to be tested, challenged and subverted, putting not only the Philippines' maritime interests in peril, but also the regional stability and prosperity we are all working so hard to achieve."
She said the countries can navigate through obstacles together as they defend the rules-based order in the maritime domain.
Beijing has rejected the 2016 ruling and continued to flex its muscles in the South China Sea. Last year, it unilaterally revised its territorial baselines in what was seen as an attempt to consolidate its control over the area.
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