Chinese vessels are seen around Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea. Reuters file photo

Amsterdam/Beijing, July 12

An arbitration court ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and has breached the Philippines’ sovereign rights with its actions, infuriating Beijing which dismissed the case as a farce.A defiant China, which boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, vowed again to ignore the ruling and said its armed forces would defend its sovereignty and maritime interests.China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said shortly before the ruling was announced that a Chinese civilian aircraft had successfully tested two new airports in the disputed Spratly Islands. And China’s Defence Ministry said a new guided missile destroyer was formally commissioned at a naval base on the southern island province of Hainan, which has responsibility for South China Sea.The United States, which China has accused of fuelling tensions and militarising the region with patrols and exercises, urged parties to comply with the legally binding ruling and avoid provocations.US officials have previously said they feared China may respond to the ruling by declaring an air defense identification zone in the South China Sea, as it did in the East China Sea in 2013. — Reuters

Ground-breaking ruling

• The ruling is significant as it is the first time that a legal challenge has been brought in the South China Sea dispute
• Reflects shifting balance of power in 3.5 mn sq km sea, where China has been expanding presence by building artificial islands, sending patrol boats that keep Philippine fishing vessels away
• The court has no power of enforcement, but a victory for Philippines could spur Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei to file cases