[Global Network Reporter Li Dongyao] The United States, which has not yet ratified the "United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," now wants to stumble China in the election of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. The election is about to come. The US Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) reported on the 3rd that China has nominated a candidate to run for the judge of this maritime dispute court, but the US has tried to stop China, claiming that China has contempt for the South China Sea issue. International law of the sea.
According to CNBC reports, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is expected to hold elections in August or September. Seven judges will be elected for a nine-year term. All 168 signatories of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea will vote in the election.
Data map: South Lawn of the White House in Washington, USA.
The report also said that the United States could not vote in this election because it did not ratify the convention.
The United States, which is not eligible to vote, has embarked on a path to discredit China.
CNBC mentioned that last month, David Stilwell, Assistant Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, claimed in a think tank event that “electing a Chinese official to join the agency is like hiring an arsonist to manage the fire department.” The countries participating in this election are also encouraged to carefully evaluate the qualifications of Chinese candidates.
"We urge all countries participating in the upcoming election of the International Tribunal to carefully evaluate the qualifications of Chinese candidates and consider whether the appointment of a Chinese judge as a judge of the Tribunal will help or hinder international law of the sea." Stilwell exaggerated, " Given Beijing’s record, the answer should be clear."
CNBC stated that before Stilwell’s remarks, US Secretary of State Pompeo had just claimed that China’s claims of “offshore resources” in the South China Sea were “completely illegal”.
Stilwell called on all countries to turn the Chinese judges out of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration case. CNBC said that China, which negotiated and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, refused to accept or recognize the award. In fact, China has repeatedly emphasized that China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea have a solid historical and legal foundation and are not affected by the so-called arbitral tribunal’s rulings. The South China Sea arbitration case was a political farce under the cloak of law from beginning to end.
Regarding Stilwell’s relevant remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying previously countered that some people in the US are very good at creating some sensational words to slander and attack China. Everyone knows that the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is an important international judicial institution established in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China has always attached great importance to and strongly supports the work of the Tribunal and has maintained a good cooperative relationship with the Tribunal.
Hua Chunying emphasized that the court represents the world's major legal systems and ensures fair regional distribution. This is the long-term consensus and consistent practice of the parties to the convention. The judges of the court perform their duties in their personal capacity. The candidates nominated by China are proficient in international law and the law of the sea, have rich knowledge and practical experience in the field of international law of the sea, fully comply with the conditions stipulated in the statute of the court, and have been approved by the United Nations Asia Pacific Group . If elected, they will make important contributions to the work of the court and the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes.
Hua Chunying pointed out that everyone knows that the United States has not ratified the "United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea" so far, but it often regards itself as a guardian of the convention. Assistant Secretary Stilwell (i.e. Stilwell) completely ignored the basic rules reached by the parties to the Convention regarding the election of court judges and the arrangements formed by the parties in the long-term practice, inciting international public opinion to maliciously attack China and wantonly criticize the parties to the convention. It is truly the biggest damage and trampling of the Convention, the international legal order and international relations.
CNBC mentioned that this is not the first time China has nominated a judge candidate for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. In fact, according to information on the court’s website, three Chinese judges have served in the court since the court’s first election in 1996.