Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a routine briefing that the South
China Sea arbitration is essentially a political farce cloaked in legal
language. The spokesman said an illegal arbitral award will not change China's
historical sovereignty, sovereign rights or jurisdiction over the islands and
adjacent waters, nor will it weaken China's determination to defend those
rights. It will not alter China's policy of resolving disputes through
negotiation with directly concerned parties. China will continue to work with
regional states to safeguard peace and security in the South China Sea and
promote regional prosperity.
