With regard to the award rendered on 12 July 2016 by the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the unilateral request of the Republic of the Philippines (hereinafter referred to as the "Arbitral Tribunal"), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it.
关于应菲律宾共和国单方面请求建立的南海仲裁案仲裁庭（以下简称"仲裁庭"）于2016年7月12日作出的裁决，中华人民共和国外交部郑重声明，该裁决是无效的，没有拘束力，中国不接受、不承认。
1.On 22 January 2013, the then government of the Republic of the Philippines unilaterally initiated arbitration on the relevant disputes in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines. On 19 February 2013, the Chinese government solemnly declared that it neither accepts nor participates in that arbitration and has since repeatedly reiterated that position. On 7 December 2014, the Chinese government released the Position Paper of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Matter of Jurisdiction in the South China Sea Arbitration Initiated by the Republic of the Philippines, pointing out that the Philippines' initiation of arbitration breaches the agreement between the two states, violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and goes against the general practice of international arbitration, and that the Arbitral Tribunal has no jurisdiction. On 29 October 2015, the Arbitral Tribunal rendered an award on jurisdiction and admissibility. The Chinese government immediately stated that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China's positions are clear and consistent.
一、2013年1月22日，菲律宾共和国时任政府单方面就中菲在南海的有关争议提起仲裁。2013年2月19日，中国政府郑重宣布不接受、不参与菲律宾提起的仲裁，此后多次重申此立场。2014年12月7日，中国政府发表《中华人民共和国政府关于菲律宾共和国所提南海仲裁案管辖权问题的立场文件》，指出菲律宾提起仲裁违背中菲协议，违背《联合国海洋法公约》（以下简称《公约》），违背国际仲裁一般实践，仲裁庭不具有管辖权。2015年10月29日，仲裁庭作出管辖权和可受理性问题的裁决。中国政府当即声明该裁决是无效的，没有拘束力。中国上述立场是明确的、一贯的。
2.The unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines is out of bad faith. It aims not to resolve the relevant disputes between China and the Philippines, or to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, but to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. The initiation of this arbitration violates international law. First, the subject-matter of the arbitration initiated by the Philippines is in essence an issue of territorial sovereignty over some islands and reefs of Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands), and inevitably concerns and cannot be separated from maritime delimitation between China and the Philippines. Fully aware that territorial issues are not subject to UNCLOS, and that maritime delimitation disputes have been excluded from the UNCLOS compulsory dispute settlement procedures by China's 2006 declaration, the Philippines deliberately packaged the relevant disputes as mere issues concerning the interpretation or application of UNCLOS. Second, the Philippines' unilateral initiation of arbitration infringes upon China's right as a state party to UNCLOS to choose on its own will the procedures and means for dispute settlement. As early as in 2006, pursuant to Article 298 of UNCLOS, China excluded from the compulsory dispute settlement procedures of UNCLOS disputes concerning, among others, maritime delimitation, historic bays or titles, military and law enforcement activities. Third, the Philippines' unilateral initiation of arbitration violates the bilateral agreement reached between China and the Philippines, and repeatedly reaffirmed over the years, to resolve relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations. Fourth, the Philippines' unilateral initiation of arbitration violates the commitment made by China and ASEAN Member States, including the Philippines, in the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) to resolve the relevant disputes through negotiations by states directly concerned. By unilaterally initiating the arbitration, the Philippines violates UNCLOS and its provisions on the application of dispute settlement procedures, the principle of "pacta sunt servanda" and other rules and principles of international law.
二、菲律宾单方面提起仲裁，目的是恶意的，不是为了解决与中国的争议，也不是为了维护南海的和平与稳定，而是为了否定中国在南海的领土主权和海洋权益。菲律宾提起仲裁的行为违反国际法。一是菲律宾提起仲裁事项的实质是南沙群岛部分岛礁的领土主权问题，有关事项也必然涉及中菲海洋划界，与之不可分割。在明知领土问题不属于《公约》调整范围，海洋划界争议已被中国2006年有关声明排除的情况下，菲律宾将有关争议刻意包装成单纯的《公约》解释或适用问题。二是菲律宾单方面提起仲裁，侵犯中国作为《公约》缔约国享有的自主选择争端解决程序和方式的权利。中国早在2006年即根据《公约》第298条将涉及海洋划界、历史性海湾或所有权、军事和执法活动等方面的争端排除出《公约》强制争端解决程序。三是菲律宾单方面提起仲裁，违反中菲两国达成并多年来一再确认的通过谈判解决南海有关争议的双边协议。四是菲律宾单方面提起仲裁，违反中国与包括菲律宾在内的东盟国家在2002年《南海各方行为宣言》（以下简称《宣言》）中作出的由直接有关当事国通过谈判解决有关争议的承诺。菲律宾单方面提起仲裁，违反了《公约》及其适用争端解决程序的规定，违反了"约定必须遵守"原则，也违反了其他国际法原则和规则。
3.The Arbitral Tribunal disregards the fact that the essence of the subject-matter of the arbitration initiated by the Philippines is issues of territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation, erroneously interprets the common choice of means of dispute settlement already made jointly by China and the Philippines, erroneously construes the legal effect of the relevant commitment in the DOC, deliberately circumvents the optional exceptions declaration made by China under Article 298 of UNCLOS, selectively takes relevant islands and reefs out of the macro-geographical framework of Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea Islands), subjectively and speculatively interprets and applies UNCLOS, and obviously errs in ascertaining fact and applying the law. The conduct of the Arbitral Tribunal and its awards seriously contravene the general practice of international arbitration, completely deviate from the object and purpose of UNCLOS to promote peaceful settlement of disputes, substantially impair the integrity and authority of UNCLOS, gravely infringe upon China's legitimate rights as a sovereign state and state party to UNCLOS, and are unjust and unlawful.
三、仲裁庭无视菲律宾提起仲裁事项的实质是领土主权和海洋划界问题，错误解读中菲对争端解决方式的共同选择，错误解读《宣言》中有关承诺的法律效力，恶意规避中国根据《公约》第298条作出的排除性声明，有选择性地把有关岛礁从南海诸岛的宏观地理背景中剥离出来并主观想象地解释和适用《公约》，在认定事实和适用法律上存在明显错误。仲裁庭的行为及其裁决严重背离国际仲裁一般实践，完全背离《公约》促进和平解决争端的目的及宗旨，严重损害《公约》的完整性和权威性，严重侵犯中国作为主权国家和《公约》缔约国的合法权利，是不公正和不合法的。
4.China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards.
四、中国在南海的领土主权和海洋权益在任何情况下不受仲裁裁决的影响，中国反对且不接受任何基于该仲裁裁决的主张和行动。
5.The Chinese government reiterates that, regarding territorial issues and maritime delimitation disputes, China does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China. The Chinese government will continue to abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including the principles of respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity and peaceful settlement of disputes, and continue to work with states directly concerned to resolve the relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations and consultations on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law, so as to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
五、中国政府重申，在领土问题和海洋划界争议上，中国不接受任何第三方争端解决方式，不接受任何强加于中国的争端解决方案。中国政府将继续遵循《联合国宪章》确认的国际法和国际关系基本准则，包括尊重国家主权和领土完整以及和平解决争端原则，坚持与直接有关当事国在尊重历史事实的基础上，根据国际法，通过谈判协商解决南海有关争议，维护南海和平稳定。