Full coverage: The South China Sea Issue

China has released a white paper stating its position on the South China Sea issue. It comes one day after an international arbitration tribunal made an award in favor of the Philippines over its territorial disputes with China. The paper says China was the first to discover, name, and claim sovereignty over the South China Sea islands. It goes on to say that the Philippines has been invading the islands and reefs since the 1970s.

In 2013, the Philippines unilaterally filed the arbitration case, ignoring a negotiation deal between the two countries had previously agreed on. China does not recognise the tribunal verdict and still encourages negotiations as a means to settle disputes.