The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has taken note of the Statement of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines on the 4th Anniversary of the issuance of the so-called award in the South China Sea Arbitration on July 12. China's position is consistent, clear and firm. The South China Sea arbitration and its so-called award are illegal and invalid. China does not accept or participate in the arbitration, nor does it accept or recognize the so-called award. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea will under no circumstances be affected by this award. China firmly opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on aforesaid award.

It has to be highlighted that China and the Philippines have already reached consensus on properly handling the so-called arbitration case, which has laid down solid ground for the turning-around of bilateral relations. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, China-Philippines relations have maintained healthy and steady momentum, with exchanges and cooperation in various fields making continuous progress. This serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and contributes to peace and stability in the South China Sea. The two sides have also established the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM), returning to the right track of resolving relevant issues through bilateral negotiation and consultation. It is hoped that the Philippines could make concerted efforts with China in jointly securing the hard-won sound momentum of bilateral relations and upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea.