MANILA, Philippines–China has been ordered by the international Arbitral Tribunal handling the maritime dispute case filed by the Philippines to file its counter-memorial, or counter-argument, by Dec. 15, despite its position that it will not participate in the arbitration.
“In Procedural Order No. 2, the Arbitral Tribunal fixes December 15, 2014 as the date for China to submit its Counter-Memorial responding to the Philippines’ Memorial,” the International Tribunal said in a statement posted on the website of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) June 3.
“The Arbitral Tribunal will determine the further course of the proceedings, including the need for, and scheduling of any other written submissions and hearings, at an appropriate later stage, after seeking the views of the Parties,” it said.
The PCA in The Hague, Netherlands, acts as the registry for the arbitration case that the Philippines filed before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) on Jan. 22 last year.
The case stems from China’s claim of “indisputable sovereignty” in the entire South China Sea including parts of the Philippines’ 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The Philippines filed its memorial, or written arguments, to the tribunal last March 30 following the first Procedural Order dated Aug. 27, 2013.