Scholars in Taiwan Refute South China Sea Arbitration Award

Scholars in Taiwan have questioned the credibility of an award by an arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea following its announcement on July 12, believing the decision will only bring more trouble to the area.

Ho Szu-shen, convener of the education and culture division of the island's Policy Foundation, told a press briefing on July 15 that the award was ludicrous as it defines Taiping Island as a rock.

If international law of the sea is allowed to be distorted this way, more problems will emerge, he said.

At the same event, hosted by the foundation, Huang Kwei-bo, of Chengchi University, said the award is hardly convincing because the tribunal claimed that Taiping and other islands in the area cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own, which is "only based on their imagination."

Chen Fu, director of the liberal arts center of Ilan University, described the award as being driven by political purpose.

Chen urged both sides of the Taiwan Strait to form an investigation team to find more historical evidence to prove that the South China Sea islands are part of China.

The two events followed a seminar by a society of international law attended by former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-Jeou, who said the award's categorization of Taiping Island as a rock was erroneous.

Taiwan's authorities have refused to accept the decision. The island's leader's office said on Tuesday that the award "is not legally binding."

(Source: Xinhua)