Kishida Calls for South China Sea Ruling to Be Respected

Vientiane, July 26 (Jiji Press)--A recent international tribunal ruling that basically rejected China's claims in the South China Sea over its dispute with the Philippines legally binds the parties concerned and should thus be respected, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday. Kishida made the remark at a meeting in the Laotian capital of foreign ministers from the 18 member countries of the East Asia Summit framework--the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and eight ASEAN dialogue partners including Japan and the United States. A joint statement adopted at a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers on Monday had no reference to the ruling, which was issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the Netherlands, on July 12. Still, Kishida said that the ASEAN statement can become a base for overcoming the current concerns over the issue as it underlined the need to fully respect "legal and diplomatic processes" for the solution of disputes. At Tuesday's EAS meeting, many countries referred to the importance of seeking peaceful solutions of disputes based on international law, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Multiple countries expressed their serious concerns over recent developments and highlighted the significance of demilitarization and self-restraint, the ministry said. One country said that the international tribunal ruling is final and legally binds the countries concerned. China is believed to have repeated its stance of rejecting the ruling, sources familiar with the situation said. Kishida also underscored the need to increase pressure on North Korea through the strict implementation of the U.N. Security Council's sanctions resolutions against Pyongyang, following the reclusive country's repeated provocations including ballistic missile launches. On the issue of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea decades ago, he called for member countries' understanding and cooperation for the victims' early return home. END