Insights｜Unmasking the Farce of South China Sea Arbitration: an illegal, unfounded arbitration

On July 12, 2016, the arbitral tribunal issued its final "award" in the South China Sea Arbitration, attempting to deny China’s territorial sovereignty in the region.

From the Philippines' unilateral initiation of arbitration to the handpicking of arbitrators, the process played out more as political theater than impartial legal procedure. China has never accepted the ruling.

Why is the South China Sea Arbitration a complete political farce? Who is genuinely working to safeguard regional peace? And who is fueling confrontation behind the scenes?