The India - Viet Nam Solidarity Committee on July 20 issued a statement supporting the ruling of the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague, the Netherlands, on the case the Philippines brought against China’s claims in the East Sea.

Chinese dredging vessels are purportedly seen in the waters around Mischief Reef in the Spratly (Truong Sa) Islands in the East Sea (Source: http://english.vov.vn)

The ruling is an important milestone towards peacefully solving territorial disputes in the East Sea, the statement said.

In the statement, the Committee called on relevant countries, including the Chinese Government, to accept and respect the verdict for the sake of peace, harmony and national sovereignty of the countries in the region.

If any country does not abide by the international law and acts unilaterally ignoring the just cause of neighboring countries, it will create chaotic conditions and endanger the peace not only in the Asian region but the world as a whole, the committee said.

It also asserted strong support for the just cause of the Vietnamese government and people and concerned governments’ stand on the East Sea.

President of the Committee Greetesh Sharma said the statement reflects the support and solidarity of Indian people in general and the committee in particular for the Vietnamese Government and people.

The panel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration on July 12 adopted a ruling to reject China’s unjustified claim of the so called “nine-dash line” in the East Sea, saying that China has no historic rights in the sea and its claim is contrary to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

(Source: VNA)