Washington, July 12 -- The United States and a group of allies on Sunday reaffirmed their support for a 2016 international arbitration ruling on the South China Sea, saying the decision was a final and legally binding settlement between China and the Philippines on issues addressed by the tribunal.
In a joint statement marking the 10th anniversary of the ruling, the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, the Philippines and several European and Indo-Pacific partners said maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The countries said the 2016 award was a "significant milestone" and rejected what they described as China's expansive maritime claims in th...