China urges Philippines to ditch its tribunal case over South China Sea claims

This handout photo taken on March 17, 2015 by satellite imagery provider DigitalGlobe and released to AFP by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSSI) think tank shows a satellite image of vessels purportedly dredging sand at Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea. The series of satellite images posted on the website of the Center for Strategic and International Studies last week show a flotilla of Chinese vessels dredging sand onto Mischief Reef and the resulting land spreading in size. Beijing on April 9 reaffirmed its right to build on the disputed islands after the satellite imagery emerged of construction operations turning tropical reefs into concrete artificial islands. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all have overlapping claims in the area. (AFP Photo / CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative / DigitalGlobe)

BEIJING — China urged the Philippines on Tuesday to ditch its attempt to solve South China Sea territorial disputes with an international tribunal and instead negotiate with Beijing directly, following the arbitration panel’s latest request for input from China.

The Philippines has asked the tribunal in The Hague to declare China’s claims to virtually all the South China Sea invalid, saying Beijing’s actions have trampled on other nations’ rights.

China contends the tribunal doesn’t have jurisdiction, and has refused to participate. The tribunal, which operates under the U.N. Convention of the Law of the Sea, held a weeklong hearing ending Monday to address China’s contention.

It said that Beijing has until Aug. 17 to comment on the hearing, and that it should make a ruling on the issue this year.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Tuesday reiterated China’s opposition to the arbitration, and said China “will never accept the unilateral attempts to turn to a third party to solve the disputes.”

“China urges the Philippines to come back to the right track of resolving disputes through negotiation and consultation,” she said in a statement.

The Philippines praised the tribunal’s effort to prod China again to join the case, saying the five-man arbitration body has been fair and transparent in its handling of Manila’s complaints against Beijing.

“We have asked China to participate and we continue to extend the invitation for them to explain their side,” Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said by phone in Manila.

China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan have been contesting ownership of the resource-rich South China Sea. The United States and other countries have expressed concerns over China’s island-building in the region that they say has been provocative and has damaged vast coral reefs in the disputed waters.

Beijing says fears that it would eventually limit freedom of navigation and overflight to back its claims are unfounded.

Associated Press writer Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.