Europe, the US and Other Countries Reaffirm South China Sea Arbitration Ruling; Chinese Foreign Ministry Strongly Rebuts

On July 12, 2026, the 10th anniversary of the South China Sea arbitration ruling, the EU, the US, the UK, Japan, Australia and other countries issued a joint statement reaffirming the legally binding force of the ruling. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry subsequently responded toughly, criticizing external forces for endorsing the illegal ruling.