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ALBERT F. DEL ROSARIO

Secretary of Foreign Affairs

[Delivered on July 7, 2015]

Mr. President, distinguished Members of the ribun!l, it is ! gre!t honor to res"e#tfully !""e!r before you on beh!lf of my #ountry,

$e"ubli# of the Phili""ines. %t is indeed ! s"e#i!l "rivilege to do so in ! #!se th!t h!s su#h im"ort!n#e to !ll &ili"inos !nd'if % m!y !dd

the rule of l!( in intern!tion!l rel!tions.

Mr. President, the Phili""ines h!s long "l!#ed its f!ith in the rules !nd institutions th!t the intern!tion!l #ommunity h!s #re!ted to regu

rel!tions !mong )t!tes. *e !re "roud to h!ve been ! founding member of the +nited !tions, !nd !n !#tive "!rti#i"!nt in

ndis"ens!ble institution.

%ts org!ns, #ou"led (ith the "o(er of intern!tion!l l!(, serve !s the gre!t e-u!lier !mong )t!tes, !llo(ing #ountries, su#h !s my o(n

st!nd on !n e-u!l footing (ith (e!lthier, more "o(erful )t!tes.

o(here is this more true, Mr. President, th!n (ith res"e#t to the "rogressive develo"ment of the l!( of the se!, (hi#h #ulmin!ted in

!do"tion of the /!( of the )e! onvention in 12. h!t instrument, (hi#h h!s rightly been #!lled ! 3onstitution for the 4#e!ns, #ou

!mong its most im"ort!nt !#hievements the est!blishment of #le!r rules reg!rding the "e!#eful use of the se!s, freedom of n!vig!t

"rote#tion of the m!ritime environment !nd, "erh!"s most im"ort!ntly, #le!rly defined limits on the m!ritime !re!s in (hi#h )t!tes

entitled to e6er#ise sovereign rights !nd urisdi#tion.

hese !re !ll m!tters of #entr!l signifi#!n#e to the Phili""ines. %ndeed, given our lengthy #o!stline, our st!tus !s !n !r#hi"el!gi# st!te, !

our se!f!ring tr!dition, the rules #odified in the l!( of the se! h!ve !l(!ys h!d "!rti#ul!r im"ort!n#e for the Phili""ines. he Phili""ineustifi!bly "roud of the f!#t th!t it signed the onvention on the d!y it (!s o"ened for sign!ture, on 10 De#ember 12, !nd (!s one of

first )t!tes to submit its instrument of r!tifi#!tion, (hi#h it did on M!y 18.

he Phili""ines h!s res"e#ted !nd im"lemented its rights !nd oblig!tions under the onvention in good f!ith. his #!n be seen in

!mendment of our n!tion!l legisl!tion to bring the Phili""ines9 m!ritime #l!ims into #om"li!n#e (ith the onvention, by #onverting our "

str!ight b!selines into !r#hi"el!gi# b!selines in #onformity (ith :rti#les 8; !nd 87, !nd by "roviding th!t the m!ritime ones of

#riti#!l obe#tive th!n P!rt ?@. %t is these dis"ute resolution "rovisions th!t !llo( the (e!> to #h!llenge the "o(erful on !n e-u!l foot#onfident in the #onvi#tion th!t "rin#i"les trum" "o(erA th!t l!( trium"hs over for#eA !nd th!t right "rev!ils over might.

Mr. President, !llo( me to res"e#tfully m!>e it #le!rB in submitting this #!se, the Phili""ines is 4!s>ing the ribun!l to rule on

territori!l sovereignty !s"e#t of its dis"utes (ith hin!.

*e !re here be#!use (e (ish to #l!rify our m!ritime entitlements in the )outh hin! )e!, ! -uestion over (hi#h the ribun!l

urisdi#tion. his is ! m!tter th!t is most im"ort!nt not only to the Phili""ines, but !lso to !ll #o!st!l )t!tes th!t border the )outh

)e!, !nd even to !ll the )t!tes P!rties to +/4). %t is ! dis"ute th!t goes to the very he!rt of +/4) itself. 4ur very !ble #ounsel

h!ve mu#h more to s!y !bout this leg!l dis"ute over the inter"ret!tion of the onvention during the #ourse of these or!l he!rings. Cu

my humble l!ym!n9s vie(, the #entr!l leg!l dis"ute in this #!se #!n be e6"ressed !s follo(sB

&or the Phili""ines, the m!ritime entitlements of #o!st!l )t!tes to ! territori!l se!, e6#lusive e#onomi# one !nd #ontinent!l shelf, !nd

rights !nd oblig!tions of the )t!tes P!rties (ithin these res"e#tive ones !re est!blished, defined !nd limited by the e6"ress terms of onvention. hose e6"ress terms do not !llo( for in f!#t they "re#lude #l!ims to bro!der entitlements, or sovereign rights

urisdi#tion, over m!ritime !re!s beyond the limits of the EEF or #ontinent!l shelf. %n "!rti#ul!r, the onvention does not re#ognie

"ermit the e6er#ise of, so #!lled 3histori# rights in !re!s beyond the limits of the m!ritime ones th!t !re re#ognied or est!blished

+/4).

)!dly, hin! dis"utes this, Mr. President, in both (ord !nd deed. %t #l!ims th!t it is entitled to e6er#ise sovereign rights !nd urisdi#t

n#luding the e6#lusive right to the resour#es of the se! !nd se!bed, f!r beyond the limits est!blished by the onvention, b!sed on soG#!

3histori# rights to these !re!s. *hether these !lleged 3histori# rights e6tend to the limits gener!lly est!blished by hin!9s soG#!lled 3

d!sh line, !s !""e!rs to be hin!9s #l!im, or (hether they en#om"!ss ! gre!ter or ! n!rro(er "ortion of the )outh hin! )e!,

ndis"ut!ble f!#t, !nd the #entr!l element of the leg!l dis"ute bet(een the P!rties, is th!t hin! h!s !sserted ! #l!im of 3histori# rights

v!st !re!s of the se! !nd se!bed th!t lie f!r beyond the limits of its EEF !nd #ontinent!l shelf entitlements under the onvention.

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%n f!#t, hin! h!s done mu#h more, Mr. President, th!n to sim"ly #l!im these !lleged 3histori# rights. %t h!s !#ted for#efully to !ssert th

by e6"loiting the living !nd nonGliving resour#es in the !re!s beyond the +/4) limits (hile for#ibly "reventing other #o!st!l )t!

n#luding the Phili""ines, from e6"loiting the resour#es in the s!me !re!s even though the !re!s lie (ell (ithin 200 M of the Phili""i

#o!st !nd, in m!ny #!ses, hundreds of miles beyond !ny EEF or #ontinent!l shelf th!t hin! #ould "l!usibly #l!im under the onvention.

he leg!l dis"ute bet(een the Phili""ines !nd hin! over hin!9s #l!im to !nd e6er#ise of !lleged 3histori# rights is ! m!tter f!lling un

the onvention, !nd "!rti#ul!rly P!rt ?@, reg!rdless of (hether hin! is #l!iming th!t 3histori# rights !re re#ognied under the onvent

or !llo(!ble under the onvention be#!use they !re not "re#luded by it. hin! h!s m!de both !rguments in its "ubli# st!tements. Cu

m!>es no differen#e for "ur"oses of the #h!r!#teri!tion of this dis"ute !s one #!lling for the inter"ret!tion or !""li#!tion of the onvent

he -uestion r!ised by the #onfli#ting "ositions of the Phili""ines !nd hin! boils do(n to thisB :re m!ritime entitlements to be gover

stri#tly by +/4), thus "re#luding #l!ims of m!ritime entitlements b!sed on 3histori# rightsH 4r does the +/4) !llo( ! )t!te to #l

entitlements b!sed on 3histori# or other rights even beyond those "rovided for in the onvention itselfH

:s our #ounsel (ill e6"l!in, Mr. President, !ny re#ognition of su#h 3histori# rights #onfli#ts (ith the very #h!r!#ter of +/4) !nd

e6"ress "rovisions #on#erning the m!ritime entitlements of #o!st!l )t!tes. his #!lls indis"ut!bly for the "ro"er inter"ret!tion of

fund!ment!l n!ture of the onvention.

hin!9s !ssertion !nd e6er#ise of its !lleged rights in !re!s beyond its entitlements under +/4) h!ve #re!ted signifi#!nt un#ert!inty !

nst!bility in our rel!tions (ith hin! !nd in the bro!der region. %n this res"e#t, % note the "resen#e here tod!y of re"resent!tives

@ietn!m, M!l!ysi!, %ndonesi!, h!il!nd !nd J!"!n to observe these #riti#!l "ro#eedings.

Mr. President, hin! h!s #l!imed 3histori# rights in !re!s th!t !re beyond 200 M from its m!inl!nd #o!sts, or !ny l!nd fe!ture over (hi#

#l!ims sovereignty, !nd (ithin 200 M of the #o!sts of the Phili""ines9 m!in isl!nds, !nd e6"loited the resour#es in these !re!s (

"reventing the Phili""ines from doing so. %t h!s therefore, in the Phili""ines9 vie(, bre!#hed the onvention by viol!ting Phili""ine sovere

rights !nd urisdi#tion. hin! h!s "ursued its !#tivities in these dis"uted m!ritime !re!s (ith over(helming for#e. he Phili""ines #!n o#ounter by invo>ing intern!tion!l l!(. h!t is (hy it is of fund!ment!l im"ort!n#e to the Phili""ines, !nd (e (ould submit, for the rule

!( in gener!l, for the ribun!l to de#ide (here !nd to (h!t limit hin! h!s m!ritime entitlements in the )outh hin! )e!A (here !nd

(h!t limit the Phili""ines h!s m!ritime entitlementsA (here !nd to (h!t e6tent the P!rties9 res"e#tive entitlements overl!" !nd (here t

do not. one of this re-uires or even invites the ribun!l to m!>e !ny determin!tions on -uestions of l!nd sovereignty, or delimit!tio

m!ritime bound!ries.

he Phili""ines underst!nds th!t the urisdi#tion of this tribun!l #onvened under +/4) is limited to -uestions th!t #on#ern the l!( of

se!. *ith this in mind, (e h!ve t!>en gre!t #!re to "l!#e before you only #l!ims th!t !rise dire#tly under the onvention. :s #ounsel for

Phili""ines (ill dis#uss !t length in the #oming d!ys, (e h!ve, in essen#e, "resented five I5 "rin#i"!l #l!ims. hey !reB

First, th!t hin! is not entitled to e6er#ise (h!t it refers to !s 3histori# rights over the (!ters, se!bed !nd subsoil beyond the limit

ts entitlements under the onventionA

Second, th!t the soG#!lled nine d!sh line h!s no b!sis (h!tsoever under intern!tion!l l!( insof!r !s it "ur"orts to define the limit

hin!9s #l!im to 3histori# rightsA

Third, th!t the v!rious m!ritime fe!tures relied u"on by hin! !s ! b!sis u"on (hi#h to !ssert its #l!ims in the )outh hin! )e! !re

sl!nds th!t gener!te entitlement to !n e6#lusive e#onomi# one or #ontinent!l shelf. $!ther, some !re 3ro#>s (ithin the me!ning of :r

121, "!r!gr!"h KA others !re lo(Gtide elev!tionsA !nd still others !re "erm!nently submerged. :s ! result, none !re #!"!ble of gener!t

entitlements beyond 12M, !nd some gener!te no entitlements !t !ll. hin!9s re#ent m!ssive re#l!m!tion !#tivities #!nnot l!(fully #h!

the origin!l n!ture !nd #h!r!#ter of these fe!turesA

Fourth, th!t hin! h!s bre!#hed the onvention by interfering (ith the Phili""ines9 e6er#ise of its sovereign rights !nd urisdi#tionA !

Fifth, th!t hin! h!s irreversibly d!m!ged the region!l m!rine environment, in bre!#h of +/4), by its destru#tion of #or!l reefs

the )outh hin! )e!, in#luding !re!s (ithin the Phili""ines9 EEF, by its destru#tive !nd h!!rdous fishing "r!#ti#es, !nd by its h!rvestin

end!ngered s"e#ies.

Mr. President, the Phili""ines is #ommitted to resolving its dis"utes (ith hin! "e!#efully !nd in !##ord!n#e (ith intern!tion!l l!(. &or o

t(o de#!des, (e diligently "ursued th!t obe#tive bil!ter!lly, region!lly !nd multil!ter!lly. % (ill not here t!>e this ribun!l through

Phili""ines9 "!inst!>ing !nd e6h!ustive di"lom!ti# efforts, (hi#h !re set out in det!il in our (ritten "le!dings. % (ill, ho(ever, mention !

re"resent!tive e6!m"les, if % m!y.

:s f!r b!#> !s :ugust 15, !fter hin! seied !nd built stru#tures on Mis#hief $eef'! lo(Gtide elev!tion lo#!ted 12; n!uti#!l miles fr

the Phili""ine isl!nd of P!l!(!n !nd more th!n ;00 n!uti#!l miles from the #losest "oint on hin!9s L!in!n %sl!nd'the Phili""ines sough

!ddress hin!9s viol!tion of its m!ritime rights di"lom!ti#!lly. During those e6#h!nges, the Phili""ines !nd hin! !greed th!t the dis"

should be resolved in !##ord!n#e (ith +/4). :s the then hinese @i#e Minister for &oreign :ff!irs, Mr. !ng Ji!6u!n, st!ted t(o ye

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!ter during bil!ter!l negoti!tions, hin! !nd the Phili""ines should 3!""ro!#h the dis"utes on the b!sis of intern!tion!l l!(, in#luding

+nited !tions onvention on the /!( of the )e!, "!rti#ul!rly its "rovisions on the m!ritime regimes li>e the e6#lusive e#onomi# one.

he mutu!l !##e"t!n#e th!t the Phili""ines9 dis"utes (ith hin! must be resolved in !##ord!n#e (ith +/4) (!s !lso refle#ted in !J

Communiquissued in July 1 u"on #om"letion of bil!ter!l dis#ussions bet(een my "rede#essor, &oreign )e#ret!ry Domingo )i!on,

hin!9s &oreign Minister !ng Ji!6u!n. he ommuni-u re#orded th!t, !nd % -uote, 3he t(o sides e6#h!nged vie(s on the -uestion of

)outh hin! )e! !nd re!ffirmed their #ommitment th!t the relev!nt dis"utes sh!ll be settled "e!#efully in !##ord!n#e (ith the est!blis

"rin#i"les of intern!tion!l l!(, in#luding the +nited !tions onvention on the /!( of the )e!. IEnd of -uote

$egrett!bly, neither the bil!ter!l e6#h!nges % h!ve mentioned, nor !ny of the gre!t m!ny subse-uent e6#h!nges, "roved #!"!ble

resolving the im"!sse #!used by hin!9s intr!nsigent insisten#e th!t hin! !lone "ossesses m!ritime rights in virtu!lly the entirety of

)outh hin! )e!, !nd th!t the Phili""ines must re#ognie !nd !##e"t hin!9s sovereignty before me!ningful dis#ussion of other issues #ot!>e "l!#e.

he Phili""ines h!s !lso been "ersistent in see>ing ! di"lom!ti# solution under the !us"i#es of :)E:. his h!s "roven no more su##es

th!n our bil!ter!l efforts. %n f!#t, hin! h!s insisted th!t :)E: #!nnot be used to resolve !ny territori!l or m!ritime dis"utes #on#ern

the )outh hin! )e!, !nd th!t su#h issues #!n only be de!lt (ith in bil!ter!l negoti!tions. :)E: !nd hin! h!ve yet to #on#lude ! bin

#ode of #ondu#t in the )outh hin! )e!. he most th!t h!s been !#hieved (!s the issu!n#e, in 2002, of ! 3De#l!r!tion on the ondu#

P!rties in the )outh hin! )e!. :lthough th!t do#ument re#orded the "!rties9 #ommitment to (or> to(!rd the 3eventu!l est!blishmen

! #ode of #ondu#t in the )outh hin! )e!, hin!9s intr!nsigen#e in the 1K ye!rs of subse-uent multil!ter!l negoti!tions h!s m!de th!t g

ne!rly un!tt!in!ble.

onetheless, Mr. President, the 2002 D4 is signifi#!nt in !t le!st one im"ort!nt res"e#tB the :)E: Member )t!tes !nd hin! undert

therein to 3resolve their territori!l !nd urisdi#tion!l dis"utes by "e!#eful me!ns, (ithout resorting to the thre!t or use of for#e, thro

friendly #onsult!tions !nd negoti!tions by sovereign st!tes dire#tly #on#erned, in !##ord!n#e (ith univers!lly re#ognied "rin#i"lentern!tion!l l!(, including the 198 !" Con#ention on the $a% of the Sea . %n so doing, the De#l!r!tion en#our!ged those )t!tes, sho

they "rove un!ble to resolve their dis"utes through #onsult!tions or negoti!tions, to do so in !##ord!n#e (ith the onvention, (h

n#ludes, of #ourse, the dis"ute resolution "ro#edures under P!rt ?@.

Mr. President, over the ye!rs, hin!9s "ositions !nd beh!vior h!ve be#ome "rogressively more !ggressive !nd dis#on#erting. 4ut

observers h!ve referred to this !s hin!9s 3s!l!miGsli#ing str!tegyB th!t is, t!>ing little ste"s over time, none of (hi#h individu!lly is eno

to "rovo>e ! #risis. hinese milit!ry offi#i!ls themselves h!ve referred to this !s its 3#!bb!ge str!tegyB "eeling one l!yer off !t ! ti

*hen these sm!ll ste"s !re t!>en together, ho(ever, they refle#t hin!9s efforts to slo(ly #onsolid!te de facto #ontrol throughout the )o

hin! )e!.

(o more re#ent in#rement!l ste"s #!used the Phili""ines to #on#lude th!t it h!d no !ltern!tive other th!n to invo>e #om"ulsory "ro#edu

ent!iling ! binding de#ision. he first (!s hin!9s tr!nsmitt!l of its nineGd!sh line #l!im to the +nited !tions in 200, !fter (hi#h

"revented the Phili""ines from #!rrying out longGst!nding oil !nd g!s develo"ment "roe#ts in !re!s th!t !re (ell inside the Phili""ines9 M EEF !nd #ontinent!l shelf.

)e#ondly, in 2012, hin! for#ibly e6"elled Phili""ine fishermen from the m!ritime !re!s !round )#!rborough )ho!l (here the &ili"

fishermen h!ve for gener!tions been fishing (ithout so mu#h !s ! "rotest from hin!.

hese !nd other !#ts by hin! #!used the Phili""ines to #on#lude th!t #ontinued di"lom!ti# efforts, (hether bil!ter!l or multil!ter!l, (o

be futile, !nd th!t the only (!y to resolve our m!ritime dis"utes (!s to #ommen#e the "resent !rbitr!tion.

)ubse-uent events, in#luding hin!9s !##eler!tion of m!ssive l!nd re#l!m!tion !#tivities, (hi#h it h!s undert!>en'!nd #ontinue

undert!>e'in bl!t!nt disreg!rd of the Phili""ines rights9 in its EEF !nd #ontinent!l shelf, !nd !t tremendous #ost to the m!rine environm

n viol!tion of +/4)'only serve to re#onfirm the need for udi#i!l intervention.

Mr. President, % (ould li>e to #on#lude by #onveying my #ountry9s dee"est !""re#i!tion for the #onsider!ble time !nd !ttention you h

devoted to these "ro#eedings. he #!se before you is of the utmost im"ort!n#e to the Phili""ines, to the region, !nd to the (orld. %n

vie(, it is !lso of utmost signifi#!n#e to the integrity of the onvention, !nd to the very f!bri# of the 3leg!l order for the se!s !nd o#e!

th!t the intern!tion!l #ommunity so "!inst!>ingly #r!fted over m!ny ye!rs.

%f hin! #!n defy the limits "l!#ed by the onvention on its m!ritime entitlements in the )outh hin! )e!, !nd disreg!rd the entitlement

the Phili""ines under the onvention, then (h!t v!lue is there in the onvention for sm!ll )t!tes P!rties !s reg!rds their bigger, m

"o(erful !nd better !rmed neighborsH !n the Phili""ines not invo>e P!rt ?@ to #h!llenge hin!9s !#tivities !s viol!tions of its oblig!t

!nd the Phili""ines9 rights, #onsidering th!t the Phili""ines9 #l!ims #!ll for ! mere inter"ret!tion !nd !""li#!tion of the onvention !nd

not f!ll (ithin !ny of the urisdi#tion!l e6#lusions of :rti#les 27 or 2H

Mr. President, if the Phili""ines #!nnot invo>e P!rt ?@, then (h!t rem!ins of the oblig!tion reg!rding udi#i!l settlement of dis"utes th!t

su#h ! >ey element of the #om"rehensive "!#>!ge th!t m!de the onvention !##e"t!ble to !ll )t!te P!rtiesH

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*e underst!nd, Mr. President, th!t in the e6er#ise of its #olle#tive (isdom !nd udgment, this body h!s de#ided to bifur#!te the "ro#eed

!nd to limit these #urrent he!rings to the issue of urisdi#tion. %n this res"e#t, (e sh!ll e6"l!in in full ho( our #!se f!lls s-u!rely (ithin

urisdi#tion of this ribun!l, to the end th!t usti#e !nd f!ir "l!y m!y "rev!il !nd the ribun!l (ould re#ognie its urisdi#tion over the #

!nd !llo( the Phili""ines to "resent the !#tu!l merits of our "osition.

%n the Phili""ines9 vie(, it is not ust the Phili""ines9 #l!ims !g!inst hin! th!t rest in your #!"!ble h!nds. Mr. President, it is the s"irit

+/4) itself. h!t is (hy, (e submit, these "ro#eedings h!ve !ttr!#ted so mu#h interest !nd !ttention. *e #!ll on the ribun!l to >in

u"hold the onvention !nd en!ble the rule of l!( to "rev!il.

% humbly th!n> you, Mr. President, !nd distinguished Members of the ribun!l. M!y % no( !s> th!t Phili""ines9 #ounsel, Mr. P!ul $ei#hler

#!lled to the "odium.