Malacanang said Wednesday “no one can diminish” the 5-year-old arbitral award that junked Beijing’s sweeping maritime claims to the West Philippine Sea, despite China’s recent remark that the award was a piece of “wastepaper." Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian, on the fifth anniversary of the ruling on Monday, said the arbitration award was “illegal, null and void.” “It is nothing more than a piece of wastepaper,” he said at a press briefing, quoted by multiple news reports.

Barcelo, V., Requejo, R. E., & Araja, R. N. (2021, July 15). PH says Hague ruling binding; Chinese envoy wants it voided. Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.